Retribution is at Hand
by Quiet Ponderer
Summary: Inspired by Lotuss Tears' Valentine's Day Trilogy. Here, we meet Meris, a tough-as-nails cop who's more like Vincent than she realizes.
1. Things have gotten out of hand.

Valentine's Day 4: Arbiter of Aggression  
  
There were gawkers and rubberneckers galore at the scene of Rude's gruesome demise. What a mess Vincent had made... Poor Rude hadn't stood a chance. Most of them left after only a few minutes, because Rude had been eviscerated. They didn't want to see him with his guts lying on the ground... There were about a dozen "clean-up" agents on hand when the police arrived.  
  
"What a mess."  
  
"Clean it."  
  
A new voice cut through the murmurs. It was sharp and authoritative.  
  
"Nobody touches anything. This is a homicide."  
  
Everyone turned to see who was talking. Suspicion ran rampant in their eyes, bodies and voices.  
  
"Who the hell are you?"  
  
One hand snapped up and revealed a brown leather folder. The folder was opened, unveiling a lieutenant's badge. They nodded and backed up about 10 feet.  
  
"I'm in charge of this investigation."  
  
One of the women spoke quietly.  
  
"They were killed by one man, weren't they?"  
  
"As far as we can tell, yes."  
  
"The woman they found with Reno was my sister."  
  
The badge was put away and that hand was on her shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry. And I'm afraid you'll have to leave."  
  
They gathered around the woman who'd lost her sister and led her away. One of the men looked back and could have sworn he'd seen a pair of wings! He blinked repeatedly and rubbed his eyes, then looked back. Whatever he'd seen was gone now...  
  
"Let's get to it! Jacoby, bag that blade as evidence!"  
  
"Yes, Lieutenant!"  
  
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*They're laughing at you, Meris. Look how they're pretending to work.*  
  
"Be careful with that evidence... It's the only way we can identify the killer!"  
  
They take care now... They want to catch him as badly as I do. But nobody knows about the demons that drive me to solve impossible cases... Nor do they know the secret I hold. My flesh-and-bone hand touches the metal one with guilt and fear.  
  
*They'll hate you if you don't find him.*  
  
The voice is right, of course... The voice is always right. And as always, the doubt I feel about my hand overwhelms all sense and reason.  
  
*Don't worry. That hand is as much a part of you as I am.*  
  
That voice always knows the right thing to say. But now I wonder if I can catch whoever is responsible.  
  
*I know who it is. But we'll need proof.*  
  
We both know that's the one thing this case doesn't have. I close my eyes and try to keep my calm. They're a bunch of nitwits...!  
  
*Lacey's trampling blood evidence...*  
  
"Lacey, you'd better be taking pictures before you walk!"  
  
His startled shout tells me 2 things: A)He hasn't. And B) He wasn't expecting me to notice.  
  
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The coroner sighed as the officers brought Rude's corpse in on a gurney. It was obvious they didn't think there was any evidence to go on. But he saw one looking at the body with a speculative gleam.  
  
"Post haste, Doc."  
  
"Name?"  
  
"Victim is Rude. Ex-Turk. Officer is..."  
  
"Meris. Lieutenant."  
  
"Right away, Meris."  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
No sooner had they left than the coroner began extracting debris from the body. With the evidence screen in place, he carefully poured lukewarm water over everything to shake loose any shrapnel. What he saw made him curse: From the slash marks had come metal shavings so thin as to be paper! But they were metal... And he catalogued, photographed and stored them. Then the gruesome part began: The actual autopsy. People were getting scared... An oily voice he'd come to hate slithered from the shadows.  
  
"Lose any evidence you come across."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's not for you to question me, Doctor!"  
  
"I'm sorry, but Lieutenant Meris told me Post Haste. And I'm not one to disobey her orders!"  
  
"Her?"  
  
He sounded surprised. Good!, thought the coroner. Meris had a pretty good idea as to who the killer was. Once again, that slick voice lashed out from the shadows. But now it held a note of caution and, yes, fear!  
  
"Tell me, is she tall and slender with brown hair and eyes that go right through you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Damn!"  
  
"You sound scared."  
  
There was no response. They were gone. The coroner breathed a sigh of relief before getting back to work. He documented the bruises and had a sneaking suspicion he knew who Meris was after. After he'd catalogued his results, he bundled the originals with the metal fragments and mailed them to Meris with a slip of paper. On that slip of paper was one word: "Turk". She'd know what it meant. He left a note saying Rude could, nay, WOULD, be buried with Elena and Reno.  
  
"G'night, Rico."  
  
"Goodnight, Dr. Forester."  
  
Rico didn't know that would be the last time he'd see Dr. Forester alive. Once the doctor had pulled away, he was no longer safe...  
  
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Tseng snarled at the voices in his head. They were telling him things he already knew. Then he saw Dr. Forester's car. Doctor... Flashes of what Dr. Hojo did came and went. But that was ridiculous... Hojo was dead. It wasn't the same guy.  
  
"Then how do you explain the similarities?"  
  
Tseng hated that voice. It always came from elsewhere, but sounded like it was inside his head. Of course, being run through with a seven foot Masamune didn't help matters any! If he'd been a bit more rational, it would have seemed strange that he'd survived that. But he wasn't. He wasn't completely insane either, so that made him very dangerous.  
  
"It could be him."  
  
"Shut up! Hojo is dead!"  
  
"Nothing is as it appears, Tseng. You know that!"  
  
"Shut up and leave me alone!"  
  
If anyone were to walk by, they'd have seen him talking, quite literally, to himself. One of the Tsengs was a cybernetic double. It was easily identifiable... The double could stand up straight. The real Tseng could not. He had to walk slightly hunched over until the doctors could repair his stomach muscles.  
  
"Come on, Tseng... You know as well as I do that Dr. Hojo had a brother."  
  
"That's not him."  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"That one's a coroner."  
  
The double was taken aback. Maybe Tseng was right... Then it mentally shook its head. Tseng couldn't be right!  
  
"I have a few things to take care of. Stay put and I'll be back later."  
  
Tseng watched the double walk away. He knew the double would kill Dr. Forester. But, for once, Tseng knew precisely what to do. Tseng was the only one who knew how to shut the robot down...  
  
The double sprinted toward the highest bridge in town. That was the best place to wait for him... Dr. Forester's car was the only one on the road. It came under the bridge and when it emerged, the double was on top of it. The car veered and swerved, but it couldn't shake its passenger. With a scream of agonized metal, the car flipped over and slid down a muddy embankment. When it reached the bottom, it exploded.  
  
Tseng pulled out a remote control. With a feral grin, he hit the self-destruct button, making the double explode. The explosion lit up the night sky, throwing everything into stark relief. Robots sure made pretty lights when they went boom... Even as far away as he was, Tseng could see it. He made one final remark before he walked away into the night...  
  
"That's one less voice I have to listen to."  
  
Then he was gone. If anyone were to look closely at the wreckage, they'd find bits of machinery and things that looked suspiciously like computer chips. That is, provided they were able to get close enough. The wreckage was generating a surprising amount of heat!  
  
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The next morning, Meris got Dr. Forester's package. Looking through his notes triggered a memory... "Victim appears to have been slashed with metal claws." She stood there, notes in hand, eyes blank as she remembered something long forgotten.  
  
Hojo's lab... The screams of his latest victim were deafening. Of course, it didn't help he'd cut off more than just her hand... No, he'd cut off her arm! The drugs he'd given her had finally kicked in. Blessed silence had filled the lab as he attached the metal arm. The metal cap had already been fitted over her heart. His intent had been to turn her into a cyborg... But Vincent had put a stop to it by killing Dr. Hojo. Not only had he not known she was a test subject like him, but he hadn't seen either her or Tseng! Her eyes came into focus with a gasp, papers falling to the floor.  
  
"Shinra!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, sorry, Jones. The Chief in?"  
  
"Yeah. He's expecting you."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
She picked up the papers and put everything in a safe place. Then she walked into the Chief's office.  
  
"You wanted to see me, Chief?"  
  
"Yes, Meris. Please have a seat."  
  
She sat down across from his desk and closed her eyes. The Chief must have known she had something to say, because he closed the door.  
  
"What's wrong, Meris?"  
  
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The way he's looking at me tells me he wants to listen. Something tells me I can trust him. So I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Then I open my eyes and look right at him.  
  
"Have you heard of Dr. Hojo's experiments?"  
  
"Who hasn't? He had an entire database of subjects!"  
  
I toy with my sleeve, then look up again.  
  
"It isn't complete. There's one record missing..."  
  
He looks at me, then the Rude files on his desk.  
  
"What do you mean, Meris?"  
  
"He had 12 subjects. But he only recorded 11 of them..."  
  
He flips through the files, then studies points of interest. After a while, he looks up at me.  
  
"So which one killed Rude? The unknown?"  
  
"No. The person responsible for the wave of deaths that ended with Reno, Elena and Rude is the most dangerous one of all... Vincent Valentine."  
  
To his credit, he doesn't explode. He studies me appraisingly for a minute.  
  
"Do you know where the 12th subject is?"  
  
"Yes, sir, I do."  
  
I have to take a deep breath before continuing.  
  
"You're talking to her."  
  
Now he reacts. His eyes widen and a vein starts throbbing in his neck. But, in spite of all this, he manages to keep calm.  
  
"Why weren't you recorded?"  
  
"Vincent killed him before he could complete his work."  
  
"You mean...?"  
  
"Yes, sir. I would have been a cyborg if he'd been allowed to continue."  
  
"And a Shinra soldier to boot, I reckon."  
  
"No doubt about it."  
  
He can tell there's more to this story...  
  
"What else?"  
  
"Well, he didn't just cut off my hand. He cut off my whole arm... The whole thing's metal. And he somehow got a metal cap around my heart..."  
  
When I finish my tale, I'm crying. He's staring at me like I'm some sort of monster. I am, but that's not why he's staring. His hand gently grips my shoulder.  
  
"I'm proud of you."  
  
"Why? I'm not fully human."  
  
"You are to me. Just because you have a metal arm doesn't mean you're not human."  
  
He hands me a handkerchief so I can wipe my eyes. Then he says something that makes my heart soar.  
  
"This is still your baby. Go catch Vincent Valentine, and if he dies, so be it."  
  
"Thank you, sir!"  
  
I leave his office, whistling a merry tune. The sound of my whistling fills everyone with a sense of purpose. Even my men are happier...  
  
"When do we catch him, boss lady?"  
  
"Once we get enough proof, Jacoby!"  
  
They cheer. Even Lacey. But what we aren't aware of is that someone else, someone far more dangerous, is also aware of Hojo's database... 


	2. The game has begun

Valentine's Day 5: Symphony of Destruction (Vincent)  
  
Vincent sat in a local bar, Chaos dormant for the time being. There were stories of Tseng killing a coroner because he'd come too close to identifying the mastermind behind the killing spree. Vincent could only chuckle. Tseng wasn't a threat. Despite being a technical mastermind, Tseng wasn't your typical homocidal maniac. No, that honor belonged to Vincent alone. Then the news came on, and quickly became a source of interest.  
  
"And in recent news... There's been a breakthrough in deciphering Dr. Hojo's computer. It appears to be a database of some sort. Entries include the identities of the late doctor's experiments. Police are attempting to locate these subjects in order to gain solid evidence to identify and arrest the man responsible for the recent wave of death and destruction. Police also suspect Tseng was responsible for the explosion that killed Dr. H. E. Forester last Monday night. Citizens are asked to remain indoors until Tseng has been apprehended. Stay tuned to this station for further developments as they occur."  
  
The bartender turned it off without being asked. The crowd began murmuring amongst themselves, wondering who those poor people could be. For them, it was idle speculation. But for Vincent, it was the beginning of a new era. He had to keep the police from finding those other subjects! He knew all about the database, but hadn't thought it important until now. Chaos rose up and overwhelmed him once again, leaving him breathless with fear and loathing. One thought resonated in his deranged mind... Find and kill the other subjects. He left the bar without paying for his wine. The bartender shook his head and wrote the charge on Vincent's tab.  
  
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Luisa, one of Dr. Hojo's more fortunate subjects, was nursing her newborn son at the kitchen table. She still had nightmares about what he'd done to her... So she was startled by someone knocking on her door. She rose gracefully, her husband taking the baby, and stood behind the door.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
"Luisa Alcott?"  
  
"Yes. Can I help you?"  
  
"I hope so, Luisa. It's Meris. Can I come in?"  
  
Luisa gasped aloud and opened the door for her only friend from their days in the lab. Sure enough, it was Meris! They embraced then moved to the kitchen.  
  
"Meris, this is my husband Alberto. Alberto, honey, this is Meris. We were in the lab together."  
  
"A pleasure, Meris. Luisa, I'm going to put Robert in his cradle and go for a walk."  
  
"Okay. Be careful... There are Turks around."  
  
Alberto laughed softly and kissed Luisa's cheek. After he put his precious son to bed, he walked out the door to get some fresh air. He was completely oblivious to what his wife and her friend were talking about in the kitchen.  
  
"Luisa, have you heard about the killing spree?"  
  
"Who hasn't? It's on all the news stations."  
  
"Luisa, I want you and your family to leave town. Reno, Rude and Elena are all dead."  
  
"What?"  
  
"They were murdered."  
  
Luisa gasped, horror written on her face. It was as if she knew who was responsible.  
  
"What I'm about to tell you is to be kept a secret."  
  
"Of course, Meris. I wouldn't dream of hindering your investigation."  
  
"Thank you, Luisa. I have reason to believe one man is behind it all. Even Dr. Forester's death."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"This isn't easy for me to say, Luisa."  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"Okay... You asked for it. I think it's Vincent Valentine."  
  
Luisa's hands flew to her mouth in horror. Vincent Valentine was a monster in human clothing! Her teacup teetered slowly, then spilled, making a dark brown stain on the tablecloth. Meris leaned forward and placed her flesh-and-bone hand on Luisa's shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you."  
  
"It's all right. I needed to know."  
  
"There's one other thing I need to tell you."  
  
"Let me guess. You saw him kill Hojo."  
  
"Yes. But I wasn't alone... Tseng was with me."  
  
"Oh, no! Meris, he's a target now too!"  
  
"I know. And so are all of you."  
  
"You mean everyone in the database?"  
  
"Yes. Vincent knows about all of you. You can be sure he'll come after you to silence you."  
  
"Oh, Meris... Thank you for the warning. Alberto wanted to take a vacation..."  
  
"Now seems like a good time. Tell noone where you're going. And for God's sake, leave the baby with someone."  
  
"I will, Meris. Now go warn the others. We'll be gone in the morning."  
  
Meris nodded, hugged Luisa tightly and let herself out. Alberto waved cheerily as he went back inside to his wife and infant son. When Luisa told him what was going on, he agreed. Meris, meanwhile, had gotten into her car. She didn't know Lucrecia, Vincent's long-vanished lover, was her identical twin sister. Lucrecia was dead, long since swallowed by the Abyss. But her legacy lived on... And it would lead to the destruction of Meris's career. But not before she ended the crime spree...  
  
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I can see her house in the distance. She's waiting for someone to come and take her away from it all... Little does she know I'm going to be the one who sets her free. I knock on the door, smiling urbanely and being rather suave and debonair. She knows me. She's afraid. Her fear feeds Chaos and I strike out with an open hand. The slap sends her into the far wall. She's screaming for help now. But nobody's coming to her rescue... She lives alone in a desolate part of town. Even if someone did hear her, they wouldn't be able to stop me in time. Her blood spatters on my face, sending me into a rapturous daze that ends only when her screams stop. But she isn't dead... She's only passed out. This is going to be a moment to remember! When she finally does wake up, she's tied to her bed and I'm sitting at the foot of it. Her eyes are wide with fear, one arm sitting discordantly.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I'm afraid you know too much about Dr. Hojo."  
  
"What? No! You don't understand..."  
  
"You were one of his test subjects."  
  
"No. I don't even know what you're talking about!"  
  
"You are Teres Magnute, are you not?"  
  
"Well, yes, I am, but I'm not..."  
  
"Silence!"  
  
That one word is enough to make her see that I'm no dummy. She just looks at me for a long moment, then sighs and closes her eyes. What she says next astounds me to no end. For once, I was wrong about someone!  
  
"I'm not one of his test subjects. I had a crippling disease in my hand that was slowly degenerating the bones into mush. He was the only one who could save my life. If the disease had progressed any further, I'd be dead. Dr. Hojo took my hand and replaced it with a metal one, much like he did to you. But I was never considered a subject."  
  
"I... I'm sorry, Miss Magnute. I never knew. Your name is in his database."  
  
"What?"  
  
The surprise in her voice takes ME by surprise. She'd actually believed she wasn't in his database! Chaos is jarred loose and I take this opportunity to untie her.  
  
"Go. Leave, before I wind up killing you too."  
  
"What about you? Vincent, you're not alone. You know that."  
  
"Please. Don't make it come back."  
  
She knows I'm talking about the Chaos Demon. Getting dressed in a hurry, she bolts out her front door. She's left it wide open... But, smart woman, she took her keys and strongbox. See, we don't have banks here in Midgard, so people always have money on hand. Usually in an embarrassing quantity, like Teres. I walk out the door and go the opposite way she did. If I had known someone was following Teres, I never would have let her go alone. Her scream makes me turn around in shock. Running as fast as I can, I get there in time to see someone looking exactly like me, even down to the metal hand attached to my right arm, let her eviscerated and now lifeless corpse drop to the ground. The doppelganger disappears with a malign laugh, leaving me standing over her steaming remains. Just my luck... A cop! Dammit! I have to hide! Finding a dumpster, I jump in, just in time to see the car stop.  
  
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Meris got out and stared sadly at Teres Magnute's corpse. She'd been too late. But then again, maybe she wasn't... She had her own ways of ferreting clues from fresh bodies. Gritting her teeth, she put her hands to Teres's head. The Arbiter rose up and plucked the conversation she'd had with Vincent from her memory. Meris sat back on her heels, bemused.  
  
"I never knew she wasn't a subject. She seemed like the kind he'd use...."  
  
A familiar wave of energy made Vincent's hackles stand on end. He knew that signature... And so did Chaos. The Arbiter manifested herself in the alleyway, making him stifle a gasp.  
  
"I know. I think this is why Vincent let her live, Meris. She didn't fit the pattern."  
  
"But if Vincent let her live, then who killed her?"  
  
"I think I have an idea, but I can't be sure. I need more proof."  
  
Vincent found himself creeping forward, wanting to get a closer look at Meris. The Arbiter detected him before he got close enough to see her. She waved one hand and Chaos was temporarily held at bay, unable to affect Vincent. He stood and walked into view. Meris got a good look at him and her eyes widened.  
  
"Vincent!"  
  
Vincent got a good look at her and his breath caught in his throat. It was her... But she seemed different somehow. He held out his metal hand, the light glittering off the clean steel tines. Meris held out her hand, then took his in a firm grip. Chaos, still entombed within Vincent's skeleton, let out a screech that drove him to his knees.  
  
"Arbiter! What's wrong?"  
  
"It's Chaos! It doesn't like you!"  
  
Meris let go of his hand, fear darkening her eyes. The Arbiter took that opportunity to retreat back into her human host. Vincent lay on the pavement, gasping for air as Chaos slowly released its grip on his lungs. Meris kneeled in front of him, maintaining a safe distance between them.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
Her genuine concern made him look up at her. She was worried about him? Nobody ever worried about him, not even Lucrecia. So this meant she wasn't his lost lover. But there was a strength about her that was present even when the Arbiter was not. Chaos tried desperately to take over and remove her from the land of the living. But he couldn't, not while the Arbiter's spell remained in effect. As a result, Vincent's words were choppy and semi-coherent.  
  
"Go... Differences... worry Chaos... Kill you too."  
  
The Arbiter translated it internally for Meris.  
  
*He means "Go now. There are differences about you that worry Chaos. If you stay, he'll make me kill you too." But I wonder...*  
  
**I wonder too, Arbiter. I'm going to try something.**  
  
Meris moved one hand carefully to the synthetic skin covering her metal arm, watching for signs of possession in his eyes. When she came to the velcro flaps that held it in place, she tugged gently, but hard enough to separate the pieces. With a soft hiss, the skin slid down to the ground, revealing half of what Dr. Hojo had done to her. The flashes of red in his eyes subsided, leaving him normal.  
  
"You too?"  
  
"Yes. I'd show you the rest, but it's kinda inside me."  
  
"Your heart?"  
  
"Yes. But how...?"  
  
"I was the one who did the cap."  
  
His confession made her sit back on her heels. He knew who she was... Or did he?  
  
"What's my record number?"  
  
"You mean you don't know?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Your database record number is 12-RTY-903."  
  
The Arbiter made a note of the number. Meris reached out with her normal arm and her fingertips brushed his forehead. Too short... He leaned forward and captured her hand in both of his. There was something in his eyes that made her heart race...  
  
"You were destined to be the perfect Shinra soldier. But I... I couldn't let that happen. Somewhere along the way, you became more than a test subject. I... I fell for you."  
  
"So you let me go."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Snippets of data floated into her mind, gathering and coalescing into a ball of information that made her skin go cold. She tugged her hand free and moved out of range.  
  
"Vincent, I'm not her."  
  
"I know. I think that's why Chaos doesn't like you."  
  
"I could never be her. But I do know that I can't stand to see you behind bars."  
  
"You're too kind for your own good, Meris. That could get you killed."  
  
She looked at him then... And she could see into his soul! He let her look, not knowing what was going on. She read his soul, finding enough snippets to form a story of how he'd come to be possessed by the Chaos demon. Losing Lucrecia had wounded him so badly, it had been easy for Chaos to move in. The Arbiter stirred within her, then completely withdrew. She now stood behind Vincent, holding a Spirit Jar.  
  
"You weren't the only one, Vincent... You were cloned."  
  
"CLONED?!?"  
  
Cloning was considered the work of the devil, even in Midgard. Anyone accused of or caught cloning was killed on the spot and their notes destroyed.  
  
"Can you identify who did it?"  
  
"Yes. It was our mutual "friend" Dr. Hojo. But the clone had already been awakened. It thought it was you. And there's one more thing... The clone's been possessed too. By Discord."  
  
Chaos reared up and took over then, catching all of them unaware. But instead of killing Meris and fleeing, Vincent just sat there. Finally, he spoke. But Meris could tell he wasn't Vincent.  
  
"Discord is far worse than I. Arbiter, I give myself over to your justice. Protect them, for Discord will stop at nothing to destroy the world."  
  
Chaos released Vincent then, letting him be himself for the first time since losing Lucrecia. He let the Arbiter capture him in the Spirit Jar, sealing it with Runes of Power. The Jar disappeared in a flash of brimstone. Vincent gave a weak smile, then collapsed. Meris was barely able to catch him.  
  
"Take us home before someone sees us like this!"  
  
The Arbiter made a gesture and the three of them were taken to Meris's loft apartment. Meris laid Vincent on the bed and moved toward the bathroom. The Arbiter retreated into her human host again.  
  
*What do we do with him?*  
  
**We protect him until we can stop the clone. With all the information being retrieved, I'm sure there's a record of the cloning process. Dr. Hojo was a very arrogant man. He kept records of everything.**  
  
Then she got into the shower, washing away the stench of the streets. Vincent, meanwhile, was discovering he hadn't been totally abandoned after all. He still had some of Chaos's powers... Like telepathy, telekinesis and astral projection. But he wasn't consumed by the madness anymore... He sat up after a sound sleep, only to find Meris asleep beside him. She looked so much like Lucrecia it hurt. His normal hand came up and gently caressed her cheek. The phone rang, waking her instantly.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Meris, it's Lacey."  
  
"What is it, Lacey?"  
  
"You might wanna get down here... The Chief's giving a press conference today. He's going to make the contents of Hojo's database public knowledge."  
  
"WHAT?!?"  
  
"I thought you'd react that way. How soon can you get down here?"  
  
"I'll be there in 15 minutes. And I'm bringing a guest with me."  
  
She hung up, then told Vincent what Lacey had told her. His eyes widened, then a stream of extremely foul epithets spewed from his mouth.  
  
"That's what I was thinking. I need you to crack the database records for me before the conference."  
  
"But if I were to go in like this..."  
  
"I know. That's why I always keep some of Darik's clothes on hand."  
  
"Darik?"  
  
"My uncle's best friend."  
  
"Ah."  
  
When he was finished getting dressed, he looked completely different!  
  
"Wow! Are you sure there's no magic involved?"  
  
"None whatsoever. And yes, that's possible."  
  
He got so carried away that he swept her into his arms and kissed her. She looked at him, something akin to shock in her eyes. He dropped his arms, embarrassed beyond reason.  
  
"We'd better get going. Do you need anything from your old clothes before we destroy them?"  
  
He grabbed a set of keycards and a datapad, then stood with a nod. The Arbiter spirited them to the back door of the police station. She did that whenever Meris came in late. Vincent stood there, eyes wide, as officers walked by without trying to arrest him on the spot.  
  
"Where's the computer, Lacey?"  
  
"Down the hall, third door on the left."  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
They bolted down the hall and dashed into the computer room. Meris closed and locked the door, Warding it with a "Keep Out" spell. Vincent sat down and promptly inserted a keycard into the right slot.  
  
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I feel so alone without Chaos here... But I have work to do. This keyboard is so obsolete it isn't funny.  
  
"It doesn't have keycard function buttons on it!"  
  
"Damn! Arbiter?"  
  
The keyboard changes before my eyes, becoming the one I used so frequently while in Dr. Hojo's lab. Typing frantically, I decode 5 files with the first keycard. They print off at a rapid-fire pace, gliding silently from the roller. The second keycard unlocks the Tseng files.  
  
"Well, I'll be damned. Here's Tseng's!"  
  
"Can you find any reference to an electronics background?"  
  
"Yes. There's even a schematic for his cybernetic double in here."  
  
"Okay. What else we got?"  
  
I have to use 3 more of the keycards to unlock the Subjects database. Then I get an alert that Meris's file is keyed to Alpha level clearance.  
  
"What's that number again, Arbiter?"  
  
"12-RTY-903."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
I enter that code and hit enter. We all wait anxiously, myself and Meris with bated breath. There are a series of clicks and whirrs, indicating authentication in progress. Then the file opens, leaving me giddy with excitement.  
  
"Here it is... Here's your file, Meris."  
  
She takes the printout as it emerges, stacking the pages neatly. When they've all been printed, she staples them and starts reading. Meanwhile, I'm searching for the red keycard with a black V on it. That's my personal keycard... The only one that can unlock my files.  
  
"Dammit! Where the fuck is it?"  
  
"Where's what?"  
  
"My keycard!"  
  
"What's it look like?"  
  
"It's red with a black V on it. And without it, my personal files will remain encrypted for the rest of time."  
  
Meris reaches into her pocket and removes the keycard I need. I take it from her with a smile.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"No, Vincent. Thank you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
She shakes the pages she's holding with a smile. I grin, then duck my head and insert the keycard into the slot. She doesn't see my hands tremble as I tap the keys to retrieve the data. My grin slowly fades, soon replaced with a frown and a curse. She looks up again and sees what's made me so upset: The files have been encrypted and I don't have the code!  
  
"Oh, no. You didn't do this?"  
  
"No."  
  
The Arbiter does something to the computer, making the files open. I give her a grateful smile, then turn back to the keyboard. Tap tap tap... The printer starts up again, spewing out the records for the cloning process that Dr. Hojo had hidden in my personal database to make it look like I had done it.  
  
"Or at least gone along with what he was doing."  
  
"Possible, Meris."  
  
I keep reading, scowling softly. Then I suddenly look over at Meris, eyes wide. She'd read my mind! She's looking at me with the same look on her face that's on mine. There's a tap at the door...  
  
"Meris?"  
  
"Yes, Lacey?"  
  
"The Chief wants those files buried. He changed his mind."  
  
"What? How?"  
  
Lacey, as she called him, can hear the surprise and confusion in her voice. I'm surprised too. From what I've heard, this Chief isn't the type to change his mind on a whim!  
  
"He said he wanted to talk to you and your guest about it when you're done in there. I think he knows what you're doing."  
  
"Thanks, Lacey. Carry on..."  
  
The footsteps fade as Lacey walks away. She's upset... I can feel it, even though it doesn't show. The printer finally stops exporting pages, having used all the paper. Meris replaces the roll, and printing resumes. She won't look at me... I stand up and touch her shoulder.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"We'll talk later. Somebody might recognize your voice."  
  
So that's it... She doesn't want me to get arrested. I nod and say okay, then sit back at the computer. There's a red blip on the monitor.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Someone's trying to break into the computer from an outside terminal!"  
  
"Do something! If they get this information..."  
  
She doesn't have to finish that sentence. I insert a green keycard and immediately the red blip goes green. From outside, there's an aggravated shriek as the attempted hacker gets "spiked".  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"The hacker just lost his computer. I spiked him."  
  
We gather all the printouts and shut down the computer. My keycards get hidden in a pocket, safe for another use. The Arbiter resumes her usual "cousin" form and we exit the computer room. I can see Meris trying to hide her curiosity. So I lean forward and whisper in her ear.  
  
"The red-haired fellow at the end on the right."  
  
Meris looks at me, shock darkening her beautiful brown eyes. She can't believe it was Jacoby... But it was. My keycard had identified his terminal before sending the spike. As she passes his desk, sure enough, there's a graphic representation of a spike on his now-useless monitor. We get to the Chief's office with no further delays or problems.  
  
"You wanted to see us, Chief?'  
  
He closes the door behind us and sits at his desk.  
  
"What just happened out there?"  
  
I answer him after laying the printouts on his desk.  
  
"Jacoby tried to access the computer while I was working on it. I didn't appreciate the interference, so I spiked him."  
  
"In other words, his computer is now a paperweight?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, I can't say I approve of your methods, but they were effective nonetheless. Thanks to you, Vincent, we've identified the mole."  
  
I stare at him in shock and growing horror. How the hell had he known it was me? He'd never heard my voice! If I were to look over my shoulder, I'd see the same look on Meris's face.  
  
"I got a phone call before you arrived. Meris, your uncle and his friend were found dead in your apartment."  
  
I close my eyes and feel an emptiness well up inside, an emptiness so big it threatens to engulf my entire being.  
  
"It's started."  
  
The Chief finds the cloning files and reads them avidly. When he's finished, he looks up at me. There's a solemnity in his eyes that's accompanied by something else.  
  
"If you can find and stop this clone, is there any way you can pin the previous murders on him?"  
  
"No. I know I killed the others. It's only a matter of time before they find out there's 2 of me."  
  
"Not if we rig the evidence."  
  
"Chief? What are you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying, Meris, that if you don't rig the evidence to make it look like the clone is responsible, you'll lose him again. Do you really want that?"  
  
The Arbiter, standing so silently behind us, makes a move that diverts the Chief's attention. Ours as well.  
  
"Arbiter? What is it?"  
  
"He's going to finish what Vincent started. He already killed Teres and Luisa."  
  
"Oh no! The database records!"  
  
"Luisa... Oh dear God. We have to stop him. One way or another, he will die!"  
  
We all look at Meris, shock on only the Chief's face. The Arbiter and I know her well enough by now not to flinch. Silently, I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. She takes comfort from my touch and speaks in a calmer frame of mind.  
  
"We have to set him up for a fall. We have to make him think he's outwitted us."  
  
"How do we do that?"  
  
Without knowing where this information came from, I step back and close my eyes. From my back emerges a set of wings. This has happened before with Chaos, but unlike the previous times, the wings come out red. The Arbiter bites off an oath and opens the red Spirit Jar on her belt. From it comes the previous Arbiter, now forgotten by time. He takes possession and once again, I'm fueled by a demon. But this time, it isn't Chaos. It's...  
  
"Justice."  
  
"Yes, Vincent. Your time has come. It is my turn to reside in the Jar. I'm sorry, Meris. But it is destiny."  
  
*She doesn't have to do it. There can be 2 Arbiters.*  
  
"You don't have to go. He says you can both be Arbiters."  
  
"I never thought it possible..."  
  
"What is your Title down there?"  
  
"They call me Retribution."  
  
The demon takes over now, leaving me with a sense of completion I'd only previously felt with Chaos. But I now know those feelings were false.  
  
"Demon of Retribution, I charge you to remain as you are, an Arbiter. I also charge you to share the tasks that come with the job."  
  
"Demon of Justice, I accept your charges. I also charge you to listen when you think something isn't right."  
  
"Charge accepted."  
  
They take hands, sealing their bargain. A loud scream from the outer area makes Meris open the door and peek out. Jacoby is lying on the floor, sprawled out with a large hole in his chest.  
  
"He's dead!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
She couldn't believe her eyes... Jacoby was dead! She looked back over her shoulder, then stepped out to see what had happened. The Arbiter of Retribution was right behind her.  
  
"He was a servant of the Chaos demon. He didn't want you to succeed. At all. When Chaos was sentenced, he lost all his followers."  
  
Behind her were Vincent and the Chief. Vincent knelt and examined the body, using the senses given him by the Arbiter of Justice. He looked up and shook his head, signalling both death and the true cause.  
  
"It wasn't Chaos. It was Discord."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Jacoby was a test subject."  
  
"Oh, God... It's started already."  
  
Jacoby's left hand seemed to self-destruct, flesh exploding and flying everywhere. There, for all to see, was a ghastly metal hand. Meris held her arm defensively. If they were to know the truth...  
  
"And Chaos wasn't sentenced. He had freely admitted his crimes and was released. But he had to do something for the Council."  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
"He had to promise them Discord within 45 days. Or he'd be destroyed."  
  
Meris couldn't believe her ears! Her entire life was falling down around her, and they were talking about Demonic justice! One more secret wouldn't really matter... But it would. The TV turned on by itself, signalling an incoming disaster.  
  
"This just in... Police officer Meris has been identified as the identical twin sister of the maniacal Lucrecia, believed to be Vincent Valentine's diabolical lover. Valentine, the prime suspect in the Midgard Slayings, is believed to have killed Lucrecia and dumped her body so as to seduce her sister and make her give up the investigation."  
  
They all turned to look at Vincent and Meris. Both faces wore a look of utter disbelief. Meris tried to say something, only got out a few nonsensical syllables, then fainted dead away. Vincent followed her shortly thereafter, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor with one hand resting on Meris's face.The Arbiters, both wearing human form, lifted their hosts and made to carry them from the room. But what the TV said next made them stop in their tracks.  
  
"Also believed to be running amok in Midgard are the Arbiters of Justice and Retribution. Beware, for these two will stop at nothing to do their jobs."  
  
The Chief aimed a kick at the TV and shattered it, scoring 3 points.  
  
"Get them out of here before I get even more Discord around here!"  
  
They needed no further urging. They took Meris and Vincent to a nearby warehouse. It had been abandoned for years, so it was perfect. When that was done, they looked at each other.  
  
"She's the One, isn't she?"  
  
"Yes. She read his soul without him being aware of it."  
  
"He has the keys as well."  
  
"You mean Teres's keys?"  
  
"No. He has the Keys."  
  
Vincent and Meris lay on a pile of blankets, resting for the first time in days. The Arbiters stood watch, Wards gleaming like gossamer threads. If they had known someone had followed them, they would have set Ley Lines. But that wouldn't have stopped their pursuer. For they were being followed by an agent of Heaven... Their pursuer was one of Gabriel's Archangels, called Vengeance by the mortals. Her Name was Runithea. And she would stop at nothing to complete her task... 


	3. The end is near. Or is it?

Valentine's Day Chapter 6: Changing of the Guard (The clone)  
  
Meanwhile, on the other end of town, Vincent's clone stood over another corpse that had once belonged to Dr. Hojo's test subject. His ID number had been 12-ERT-564. His name? Police Commissioner Dalton. Now he was just another statistic in the growing campaign to discredit Vincent Valentine. The news report had been leaked as expected... Now all he had to do was wait. If he'd known about the Arbiters and the Archangel, he'd have changed his mind. The metal talons dripped blood, making him smile. The Discord demon was in full sway here... There was no chance of redemption for THIS twisted soul!  
  
"You're mine, Valentine!"  
  
"Choose your name."  
  
"I choose Vincent Sephiroth. I combine 2 of the most notorious names this town's ever heard."  
  
"So noted. Choose your path of destruction."  
  
"Direct, laced with subterfuge."  
  
"Then go. Let nothing stand in your way!"  
  
"At thy bidding, my Master."  
  
Tseng watched the clone sprint off into the night with a smirk. He knew damn well Meris had freed the real Vincent Valentine. If the clone, calling himself Vincent Sephiroth, thought he had an easy victory ahead of him, he had another thing coming! Tseng opened a communications channel with the Arbiters. The channel was secure.  
  
"Tseng to Arbiters. All is going according to plan."  
  
"Well done, Tseng. You are to hide yourself until further notice."  
  
"Agreed. Tseng out."  
  
Tseng changed his outward appearance, having gotten his stomach fixed not too long ago. He'd also had a vocal scrambler implanted. Tugging on his black leather jacket, he walked out into the open, heading for the train station. Taking out a prebought ticket, he boarded the next train for Clovaria. The voices had long since fallen silent. Tseng was going home.  
  
"Passengers heading for Clovaria, Dentubis, Rinchaleu and Furcalis, please board the train now. Thank you."  
  
Nobody knew Tseng had family in Clovaria, so he was safe. And he was too. Nobody had once thought Tseng was a threat to society. He'd contacted his mother the other day and told her he was coming home. The memory of her joyous tears was enough to make him weep silently.  
  
"Hey, bud. Where you going?"  
  
"Home."  
  
That was pretty much what any of his conversations amounted to on the ride home... He refused to tell anyone where 'home' was. He was about to doze off when he heard his stop announced.  
  
"Next stop, Clovaria."  
  
He waited until the train stopped moving, then got off. He'd packed no bags or suitcases. When the train pulled out, he was standing alone on the platform. Then he heard the one voice that could move him to tears...  
  
"Tseng?"  
  
"Mom!"  
  
They hugged, tears flowing freely on both sides of the embrace. She knew he had some trouble, but didn't want to ask. She didn't have to. They were on their way home when he told her everything that had happened.  
  
"Oh my. Is this Vincent Valentine fellow going to come after you?"  
  
"No, Mom. He's free now."  
  
"Good. He seems like such a nice young man."  
  
"He is, Mom. He was the best thing that could ever happen to me. He turned my life around."  
  
He'd also told her about the clone, but hadn't told her who had been cloned. Now he told her, trepidation heavy in his posture.  
  
"Mom... That clone?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"They cloned Vincent."  
  
"Oh, my goodness! So you think he'll pick up where Vincent left off before being freed?"  
  
"I don't think he will. I know he will. But he won't get very far."  
  
"You set a trap for him?"  
  
"You know me so well, Mom... That's exactly what I did. And Meris and Vincent are going to help me."  
  
His mother watched the news regularly. She knew who he was talking about.  
  
"Tell me, did they really kill that officer Jacoby?"  
  
"No, Mom. The clone did that. Jacoby was like Vincent."  
  
"Oh, my!"  
  
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Here I am... The world's first perfect clone. My original designation was Valentine's Clone. But I chose a new name, thanks to my Master. Now my name is Vincent Sephiroth, two of the most notorious names alive today. Of course, Sephiroth is dead, thanks to Cloud... But it doesn't matter. His legacy lives on. In me. As does Vincent's. I won't let myself fail or be defeated. I will become the most infamous person in history! Then I see him... The next name in the database. He can't believe I'd accost him in such a public place. I lull him with an offer of drinks. He gives me a strange look.  
  
"I don't like your attitude, Vincent."  
  
At least he calls me by my first name. I give him my most charming smile.  
  
"I just want to buy you a few beers. What's the harm in that?"  
  
He still doesn't trust me. He reaches into his pocket for something and Discord swallows me whole. By the time he lets me go, the man is dead, stun gun rolling away from his fleshless hand. The blood dripping off my claws is a sweet lullaby. I lick some off as I walk, totally unseen by the populace. Thank the Maker for some small favors! Too bad I don't know Tseng's playing me for the world's biggest sucker.  
  
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"No sign of the clone yet, Vincent."  
  
"Thanks, Meris. Looks like Tseng did a good enough job that we don't have to worry for a while."  
  
They sat back, Meris uneasy and Vincent tense. They needed time alone, away from work. But they had no relief, save for the Arbiters. And the Arbiters were gone for the day.  
  
"Dammit, Meris... I can't take this any more!"  
  
She looked over at him, quirking an eyebrow. That only made him madder. So he stalked over to her, pulled her in close to him and kissed her. At first she was too startled to move, but then she wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss. They finally had to come up for air, gasping softly.  
  
"Was there something you wanted to say, Vincent?"  
  
"I think I just said it."  
  
She chuckled softly. His breath caught in his throat. Her breasts were brushing against his chest... He'd forgotten to let go of her! In fact, she was held so tightly against him, she could feel his response to her laughter. The laugh dried up in her throat as her body reacted. But instead of kissing her again, he reluctantly let her go. She was about to ask him why when she felt it. The Arbiters had returned.  
  
"How goes the search?"  
  
"Tseng did his job well. The clone hasn't entered our sensor range."  
  
"Good. We'll take over now. Go take a walk. Or go get some dinner. You two look like you're ready to snap."  
  
The moment they left the room, Meris broke into a run. She kept going until she'd reached the end of the street. Vincent let her run. By the time she'd regained her breath, he was there. The Arbiters, meanwhile, were aware of a new presence in the room. Despite their roles, they were still demons, after all. She identified it first...  
  
"Lust."  
  
"Desire."  
  
"Frustration."  
  
They looked at each other, then understood why Meris had run to the end of the street. She didn't want to fall for the man responsible for so many deaths.  
  
"Too bad she doesn't realize she already has."  
  
"He admitted he'd fallen for her while in the lab."  
  
"Oh, my."  
  
"Precisely."  
  
Meris looked over at Vincent, strands of hair in her face. She could feel something shift deep down inside and was afraid to identify it. He knew what it was, though. He didn't want to make her upset, so he just stood there, not saying a word. Oddly enough, his silence didn't aggravate her. She couldn't understand why he didn't say anything!  
  
"Why won't you ask me what's wrong?"  
  
"I don't want to aggravate you any further."  
  
She looked at him curiously, wonder and surprise in her eyes. He saw himself reflected in her gaze and shifted so his weight was on one foot. Then suddenly, without warning, the clone shot into the space behind Vincent and slashed his back with the metal hand. Vincent's eyes went extremely wide, then he fell to the ground, 4 perfectly spaced gashes oozing his lifeblood onto the sidewalk. Meris saw him fall and something snapped deep down inside. Her eyes turned red and her flesh-and-blood arm shot out into the position commonly associated with holding a sword or other handled weapon. Her lips pulled back into a snarl and she shouted something the clone couldn't understand. But what she did say was...  
  
"PANDEMONIUM BLADE!"  
  
A large wickedly curved scimitar appeared in her hand, light as a feather. The battle was well and truly joined then.  
  
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Holy Christ! What the fuck is that thing in her hand? I thought she was just another one of Vincent's conquests! Wait a minute. She looks familiar... Oh, NO! She's Lucrecia's twin! No WONDER she could conjure a weapon like that! What'd she shout anyway? Panda? Not Panda. Pande. As in Pandemonium? Discord rears up and consumes my thoughts, revealing a weapon called the Pandemonium Blade. Nobody knows what it does or where it came from. All any of them can agree on is that in the right hands, it's dangerous to whomever the weilder targets. I gotta rethink my assault here... I got Vincent. But I didn't know he'd have company. Never saw her coming... Literally. Shit! Here she comes again! I find myself sprawled on my ass in an alleyway, looking cross-eyed at the end of her sword. I gotta get outta here so I can regroup!  
  
"Vincent will die if you continue this."  
  
"What do I care? You're him, aren't you?"  
  
"You're lying to yourself. You care for him and you know it."  
  
What's with all this psychobabble coming from my mouth anyway? Good grief... It's gotta be Discord! He's the only one who could smoothtalk his way out of a paper bag. The woman blinks, then backs away to check on him. He won't die... Not yet. He'll bleed to death, because I didn't want him to die right away. I want him to suffer like his victims did. She's looking at him. Now's my chance to get away... So I do. I run like I'm being chased by the hounds of Hell. Which, if you think about it, is technically the truth.  
  
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Meris looked down at Vincent for just a moment, only to hear the clone take off running. She didn't care, because she was too busy trying to stop the bleeding.  
  
"No! Oh, God... Please don't die on me!"  
  
"Wouldn't... *cough* dream of it. He nicked me. That's all."  
  
"Vincent, he slashed your back wide open!"  
  
"If he had wanted me dead, he would have really gouged me. That was just a warning shot."  
  
She let go of the Pandemonium Blade and it disappeared. One of the Arbiters appeared, worry creasing their brow. It was Justice. He took Vincent into his arms and motioned for her to grab his arm. She did so, and they were taken to a hospital. The moment they appeared, the hospital staff jumped into action. They didn't seem to care that he was Vincent Valentine, wanted criminal. They moved quickly, getting him into the OR for surgery to close the gouges. Meris and Justice waited in the hallway impatiently, with her pacing. They didn't hear anything for more than 6 hours... Then the doctor came out.  
  
"Meris?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We were able to close the gouges, but... It doesn't look good. Whatever it was, it was infected. He's fighting an infection that will require hospitalization for at least a week."  
  
"Oh, God... It was the clone. He wanted Vincent to suffer!"  
  
The doctor looked at her, then suddenly nodded as the light dawned. He turned to a nurse and took her by surprise.  
  
"Get me a vial of Tarmaprine and a syringe!"  
  
Tarmaprine was an anti-inflammatory with an antibiotic mixed in. The nurse hurried away, then returned quickly with the vial and syringe. She was followed by the Head of Medicine. He gave the doctor a stern look, then claimed possession of the medication.  
  
"You are not giving that criminal this medicine. I won't allow it."  
  
Meris moved forward so that they could all see her. The look in her eye made them flinch.  
  
"You are going to give him that medication. And you are going to do it now."  
  
"Who are you to order me around?"  
  
"Leiutenant Meris, Midgar PD. That man is going to survive, and you are going to make sure of it."  
  
"Why should I?"  
  
"Because if you don't, I'll arrest you for murder."  
  
"You... You wouldn't!"  
  
"Jsut fucking try me, asswipe!"  
  
The nurse took the vial back and slipped into Vincent's room. She injected it right into his skin, knowing it would kick in that much quicker. She stayed with him until his fever broke. Then she made a note on his chart. "Patient to be given 35 cc of Tarmaprine every 6 hours until signs of improvement become visible." Poor Vincent lay on his stomach, bandages on his ravaged back. He'd been given a dose of morphine upon admittance to kill the pain and was now out cold. The shivers subsided almost immediately after his fever broke, but he still suffered.  
  
"Poor man. I feel for you. I really do."  
  
Meris, on the other hand, was still confronting the Head of Medicine at the hospital.  
  
"You're being a prick, you know that?"  
  
"And you're being a bitch!"  
  
She hauled off and decked him one. He gave her a surprised look before toppling backward and hitting the ground with a thud. The nurse tapped her elbow and nodded once. Meris followed her to Vincent's room and stifled a sob at the paleness of his skin. She sat beside his bed and took one of his hands in both of hers. What she said next took both of them by surprise.  
  
"Vincent, please. Get better soon. I... I love you."  
  
There was a ghastly rattling sound, then his heart monitor went off. He was dead! Meris stared in shock, then began to scream. The nurse rushed in, followed by a team of medics. Meris could only watch helplessly as they worked to revive him. She felt that same something snap again, manifesting itself as an eerie white glow. It spread outward, surrounding everyone in the room. When it died down, they all stood bemused, Vincent's monitors showing improving signs of life. But they never got past the levels recorded for a coma patient. Meris whimpered, then turned and ran from the room, tears pouring down her face. She ran smack into Tseng!  
  
"Meris?"  
  
She knew that voice, even with the scrambler implanted. Her eyes widened as she straightened up.  
  
"Tseng?"  
  
"Come with me. We need to talk."  
  
"Yes we do. Where?"  
  
"Arbiter?"  
  
The Arbiter of Retribution moved them to a private place so they could talk.  
  
"Vincent's ill, isn't he?"  
  
"The clone got him and now he's in a coma."  
  
"Oh, fuck me."  
  
"You got that right. I couldn't bring him up farther than that."  
  
"What color was the glow?"  
  
"White. But it wasn't enough..."  
  
"It was. He's alive, isn't he?"  
  
"Well, yes..."  
  
"Well then?"  
  
"You have a point there. But I... I drew a weapon on the clone."  
  
He stared at her, speechless. She was telling the truth! His eyes closed briefly, then re-opened.  
  
"What was it?"  
  
"I shouted something, then I heard myself saying "Pandemonium Blade." Tseng, I... He ran away from it. Why?"  
  
"Pandemonium Blade? Sweet Jesus, Meris! You're DANGEROUS!"  
  
They sat there talking until Justice re-appeared. He could tell they'd been discussing something serious.  
  
"He's getting better, Meris. The doctors credit it to you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. He's in serious but stable condition."  
  
"Oh, thank God."  
  
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I'm cursing myself here... I shoulda ripped his heart out while I had the chance! But I won't beat myself up over it. I'll have another chance at it. I sit back and chill, not knowing Tseng is in league with my enemies.  
  
"Hey there, handsome."  
  
She snuck up on me while I was preoccupied! But she's very sexy... Tall, blonde, well built... Poured into a red velvet dress. I smile urbanely, deciding to let my disguise do the talking for me.  
  
"Hey yourself, gorgeous. Have a seat."  
  
She sits beside me at the bar. The bartender brings her a Scotch on the rocks. He pours me another double Rye. I lay enough money on the counter to pay for both drinks. She raises an eyebrow, but takes a sip of her drink.  
  
"So what brings a guy like you to a place like this?"  
  
"I'm trying to relax. What brings a gorgeous lady like you to this place?"  
  
"Same thing, I'm afraid. Being lonely sucks."  
  
"Maybe I can remedy that."  
  
"Maybe you can, stranger."  
  
We talk for a while, the elbow-length gloves doing an excellent job of hiding her metal hand. Finally she asks me if I want to come home with her. I accept, knowing damn well that she's just another victim. This is just an easier way to get her out of the picture. Her name's Trudi. She's a widow, her husband killed when Cloud went on his rampage. We get to her place and she pours me another glass of rye. I sip it slowly, savoring its rich flavor as it slides down my throat. She sits down beside me and places one hand on my thigh. I down the rest of the booze and follow her to her room. Little do I know that she's got a surprise for me... When we get in there, I see her sister lying on the bed, eyes closed and a needle sticking out of her arm.  
  
"She's yours, my pet."  
  
"What the fuck are you talking about? I ain't your pet, lady."  
  
"You work for Tseng."  
  
"How'd you know that?"  
  
"It's no secret. You leave a calling card every time you kill someone. I want you to kill her."  
  
"But she's your sister, for cryin' out loud!"  
  
"She is not. She is a pathetic whiner with a taste for alcohol and drugs. She is draining our parents dry and I can't stand it."  
  
"Oh, I get it. Mercy killing and frame Vincent."  
  
"Precisely. I'll leave you to it."  
  
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She walked out of the room, fully expecting him to walk out and kill her instead. But she wouldn't be disappointed. Her sister's screams were music to her ears. They lasted a long, long time... And when they finally stopped, she smirked. The only way her sister would scream like that was if her john was too big for her. The thought of Vincent's clone fucking her sister till she died was so potent she felt herself getting turned on. The clone came out, blood all over him, and went right to her. His claws rested against the back of her neck.  
  
"I did your dirty work for you. I'm gonna take a shower, then I'm outta here. If you try to stop me, you're history. You got me?"  
  
She turned to face him, completely naked except for her panties. And even then, they didn't conceal much. His eyes widened and he found himself wanting her. He felt sheer disgust at himself for desiring a bitch like her... But Discord told him he could kill two birds with one stone here. Give her what she so obviously wanted, then kill her. So he didn't argue when she led him into the bathroom. She got the water temperature just right, then they shed their clothing and got in. She got the soap and rubbed it over him, hiding just about everything in lather. The one part that wasn't hidden was his groin. He wanted her, she wanted him, so he took her. There in the shower. She moaned at times, and sometimes she screamed. She was truly remarkable... When they were done, she stepped out to get a towel. When she came back, his claws rammed right through her guts, spewing entrails all over the bathroom floor.  
  
"Sloppy work. Shoulda killed you in the shower, bitch."  
  
She died right then and there, having gotten her fondest wish: To be fucked by Vincent Valentine's clone. He tossed her into the stall and turned off the water. He didn't care if they were found or not... In the end, Vincent would take the blame, not him.  
  
"You were good, lady. I'll never forget ya."  
  
Then he was gone. He went in search of the rest of Hojo's victims. Little did he know that he was being tracked... Meris had slipped a bug into his jacket before he'd run off.  
  
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Meris sat at Vincent's bedside, holding his hand in hers. She couldn't believe how close she'd come to losing him... The medical staff had been told she wasn't allowed to see him. So whenever they found her there, they ran her off. But that evening was different... She could feel it.  
  
"Come on, Vincent... I need you."  
  
"Really? I thought I was your ticket to police fame."  
  
"Vincent!"  
  
"Hey, kid. Can't get rid of me that easily."  
  
She leaned over and hugged him tightly, praying they would stay together. He hugged her back, not wanting to lose her. The doctor came in and shoo'ed her out of the room. As soon as he saw Vincent awake, he took out a needle and injected it into his IV line. He dropped back into unconsciousness right away. He had no resistance to the drugs whatsoever... Tseng came out of the bathroom shortly after the doctor had left. He laid the real Vincent back in the bed with a smirk. If only that fool doctor had known it wasn't Vincent.  
  
"You can come in now, Meris."  
  
"Did it work?"  
  
"Yes. Justice was a good subject for this. Good thing you were suspicious of that doctor."  
  
Vincent, the real one, took Meris's hands in his, eyes moist with tears. He was so glad he'd left her alive... She smiled at him, then leaned over and brushed his lips with hers. Tseng stepped out of the room, whistling merrily. Justice had already analyzed the drug as a powerful muscle relaxant combined with a painkiller. The dosage had been lethal. If it had been Vincent in the bed, he would have died within an hour.  
  
"Thermaprine. Closely resembling the anti-inflammatory agent Tarmaprine."  
  
"Thermaprine was outlawed after Cloud used it to kill an entire army."  
  
Back inside the hospital room, Vincent's flesh hand had found its way under Meris's shirt. She didn't try to stop him. It felt so right... His thumb elicited a small moan as it made a lazy circle. He gently pinched it, making her gasp softly. With great reluctance he withdrew his hand and looked up at her. She nodded once, knowing he didn't want to get caught. The next morning would be rather interesting to say the least...  
  
The next morning heralded a press conference. The doctor who'd injected Vincent stood behind a podium addressing the press.  
  
"Some time last night, renowned killer Vincent Valentine, a patient here at this hospital, died of a massive seizure. He had no oxygen going to his brain and his systems shut down, one after the other."  
  
"Why was he a patient here?"  
  
"He'd been assaulted by a clone that had been made to resemble him in every way. Right down to his metal hand."  
  
Vincent stifled a smirk from behind the red velvet curtain. He had a Shinra tattoo on his left buttock... The doctor hadn't mentioned it. The members of the press shifted uneasily. Meris held her camera steady as she pretended to record what was being said. The doctor hated the Turks and the Shinra. He made no secret of being glad Reno, Rude and Elena were dead.  
  
"What about the Turks Valentine killed?"  
  
"The Turks are a menace to this society, and I say they deserved their fate."  
  
That was Meris's cue... She dropped the camera and spoke up.  
  
"Even if they'd given up being Turks and had started living normal, happy lives?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm talking about the EX-Turks Reno, Rude and Elena. Did they really deserve to die or is this just another publicity stunt?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
"Don't patronize me, Doctor. Did you or did you not inject Vincent Valentine with over 100 cc's of Thermaprine?"  
  
The press shifted uneasily. They didn't know who she was, but she seemed to have it in for the doctor.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
Meris threw off her disguise. And amid astonished gasps from the media, she jumped onto the podium and handcuffed him.  
  
"Leiutenant Meris of the Midgar Police. You are hereby placed under arrest for attempted murder. You are also being charged with slandering the dead, countermanding the orders of fellow doctors and for being a fuckwit."  
  
The press had a feild day with it! They snapped pictures of Meris leading the doctor away in handcuffs. He'd put up quite a struggle... His lower lip was bloodied and he had a black eye. Vincent waited until the hubbub had died down before targeting the woman he'd seen come in. He handed her a data disk then left. She knew damn well what was on it: The clone's death list. She put it in her pocket and went to her office. Meanwhile, Meris's boss was thrilled!  
  
"You just broke an organ smuggling ring wide open, Meris! The Powers that Be have just handed down the order. You're no longer a Lieutenant."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're getting a promotion."  
  
Meris was in shock. Vincent shook the Captain's hand for her, then led her out of the Captain's office. Once they got away from the reporters, she came out of it. She gave Vincent a dazed look, total confusion reigning supreme in her face.  
  
"Am I really...? Did I really get a promotion?"  
  
"You did. Congratulations."  
  
She looked at him clearly then. He was truly proud of what she'd done. Then it dawned on her. He hadn't heard her confession in the hospital! But that's what she thought. His true intentions became clear when he took her hands in his and led her to a bench. Once she was sitting down, he took something out of his pocket. Her eyes widened as he knelt in front of her, a small velvet box in one hand.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"I heard what you said at the hospital when you thought I was going to die."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Meris, I love you with all my heart. I know that's barely possible, because, as the media is so fond of saying, I have no heart to speak of."  
  
"Who cares what they think anyway?"  
  
"I knew you were going to say that. Meris, do you think you can tolerate seeing this wanted mug every day for the rest of your life?"  
  
"I... I suppose so."  
  
He could tell by her answer that he'd rattled her badly. Smothering a grin, he took her hand in his.  
  
"What I'm trying to ask is... Meris, will you marry me?"  
  
She stared at him in shock. Her life was actually going right for once... A promotion at work, and now this! Blinking back tears of sheer joy, she choked out an answer. It was the one he was hoping to hear.  
  
"I... Yes. Yes, I will."  
  
He slid a silver emerald and onyx ring on the third finger of her left hand, then stood, bringing her up with him. Then, dipping his head only a little, he kissed her. The kiss was soft and full of promise, lingering long after it should have been ended. When he lifted his head, they were both breathless. He held her close, one hand softly caressing her hair.  
  
"Excuse me, but would you mind letting go of my wife?"  
  
Meris tore out of Vincent's arms with a gasp of shock. But, despite the fact that she was trembling badly, her voice was surprisingly steady.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
She managed to infuse her voice with enough contempt to smother a city. Her ex-husband had the good sense to flinch, but then he regained his composure and snarled at Vincent.  
  
"I came to see if you wanted to go to dinner."  
  
"Why? I filed the divorce papers. It's over, Grudath. It has been for a long time."  
  
He got a smug look on his face that sent a chill down her spine. Then, from his pocket, he produced a sheaf of achingly familiar papers.  
  
"You mean these papers?"  
  
"How did you get those?"  
  
"I called in a few favors. We're still married, honey."  
  
His use of the endearment grated on her nerves. Vincent's too, judging from the look on his face. She saw the metal hand lift, shining steel digits curling into a position he'd used countless times before to kill. She didn't say or do anything to give away the fact that Vincent Valentine, Midgar's most notorious criminal, was standing behind Grudath with the intent to eviscerate him like a stinking fish caught in a tunaman's nets.  
  
"Like hell we are. Those papers are as valid as my first name."  
  
"What if I told you your name wasn't Meris?"  
  
"I'd say you were still the lying sack of shit I divorced 5 years ago."  
  
He snarled at her and opened his mouth to say something. But he never got the chance. In front of him, a black mist had rolled in. Meris gasped. She knew what that meant! Sure enough, deep inside the mist was a set of red eyes. Vincent had been possessed again! The mist died down to reveal Vincent Valentine with a set of ebony wings and crimson slits for eyes. His metal hand was hidden behind his back. A .357 Magnum was held in his other hand, which swung loosely at his side. Grudath blanched, but held his ground.  
  
"Who the fuck are you?"  
  
Vincent's voice was harsh and discordant. Meris thought it sounded evil. A semi-insane chuckle slid out from between blood-drenched lips.  
  
"You fool... I'm your worst nightmare. I wonder if your new wife knows you raped and murdered that 12-year-old over on the South Side?"  
  
"What? How'd you find out about that?"  
  
Vincent laughed malevolently and threw the .357 to the ground in front of Grudath's feet. It hit with a harsh CLANG. Grudath picked it up and aimed, smirking all the while.  
  
"Oh, I have my sources. You'd be surprised at what you can accomplish by watching someone."  
  
Grudath cocked and fired the gun. It hit Vincent in the stomach, doubling him over. Blood poured from the wound and splattered on the ground. Meris held herself in place, not wanting to give either of them any cause for regret. But then, incredibly, Vincent straightened up, laughing maniacally.  
  
"You fool! You can't stop the Destruction Demon that way!"  
  
Meris gasped audibly. Her fear caused a disturbance so big, it caught the Arbiters' attention. They appeared quietly, remaining invisible. They were content to observe for now.  
  
*What is it, Meris?*  
  
*Vincent's been possessed again. This time, he called it the Demon of Destruction.*  
  
Justice frowned mightily, but stood his ground. Retribution did the same, knowing full well what Vincent was doing.  
  
"Destruction Demon? What the fuck kind of name is that?"  
  
"It's just a title. My real name is much more menacing to you."  
  
"What is it? I'll decide for myself, you little fuckwit."  
  
"You know me as Vincent... Vincent Valentine."  
  
Grudath paled and dropped the gun. He'd heard of Vincent Valentine... Everyone had. He was the one responsible for killing Reno, Rude and Elena. Vincent smirked and his skin took on a reddish cast. Then, without taking his eyes off Grudath...  
  
"Take Meris far away. I don't want her to see this."  
  
The Arbiters took her back to her apartment. She fell onto the couch in a daze. She couldn't believe it... Vincent had gone back to his old ways! Justice saw the ring on her left hand.  
  
"Oh, no."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He proposed."  
  
"Oh, no!"  
  
They couldn't see what was going on, but they could hear it. The screams went on for a very long time. They weren't quite sure when they stopped, but Vincent reappeared in the apartment when they'd stopped echoing.  
  
"Why, Vincent?"  
  
Vincent looked at Justice incomprehensibly. He didn't know what was going on.  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Why did you do it?"  
  
Now it came clear. They wanted to know why he'd let the Demon take over. His answer, when it came, was a simple one.  
  
"He threatened Meris. I had to do something."  
  
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What a sweet deal... I found and "took care of" 3 more names on the list. And Vincent himself took out my final target for me! The bastard went to kill Meris and Vincent got taken over again. I couldn't have found a better way to get him in shit so deep he won't be able to dig his way out, even if it takes him the rest of his life! Hojo's subjects are all dead now... Except, of course, for Valentine and Meris. But I'll deal with them later... Right now, it's time to relax and have some fun. I think I'll go play some miniature golf. But I need to hide. Wouldn't do to spoil the surprise, now would it? Out on the course, I do remarkably well, garnering suspicious whispers from other players.  
  
"He's cheating."  
  
"There's no other way to explain it."  
  
"He even got past the Graveyard in one shot!"  
  
"Now, I find that incredibly rude. Did none of you stop to think that maybe he's just good at it?"  
  
They turn to look at the guy who made that comment. He's tall, blonde, tanned and incredibly well-built. Rudolf, right on time. I give him a nod of thanks and move on to the end of the course. They start asking him questions, like is he single and could he possibly give private lessons. I laugh to myself. For one, Rudolf isn't single. And for another, he doesn't give private sessions. Rudolf is happily married to the Mayor's brainy and quite wealthy sister. After I get outside the building, I duck into an alley and shed the disguise. Good to be free of that nuisance. A voice stops me in my tracks.  
  
"Going somewhere, Vincent?"  
  
I turn slowly, watching the shadows warily for some sign of trouble. I find trouble, all right... But not in the way I first thought. Out of the shadows steps a woman I haven't seen since her disappearance...  
  
"Lucrecia!"  
  
"Miss me, lover?"  
  
"Hell, yeah."  
  
She slinks over to me and we walk to a nearby speakeasy for some cheap hooch. Sitting at the table, she stares at me over the rim of her glass. I salute her and take a sip of the rye. I'm a sucker for rye and Coke... It's my only weakness.  
  
"So what have you found out?"  
  
"Valentine lives as a free man. Oh, you might find this interesting... Meris is still alive."  
  
"WHAT?!?"  
  
"Lower your voice, babe. You wanna attract attention?"  
  
"Sorry. But I thought she was dead!"  
  
"So did we all. She's a cop here in Midgar."  
  
"Shit! She still palling around with Grudath?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
I sit back with my glass, smug and secure with my knowledge. She gives me a glare so fierce I tell her.  
  
"Valentine killed the poor bastard."  
  
"I thought Chaos was gone."  
  
"Not Chaos. Destruction."  
  
"This is working out better than we ever thought possible. Once they've been discredited, we'll make Midgar fear us."  
  
We sit there laughing at the idea. But we don't know we've been followed and overheard. There's a guy sitting in the corner with a red bandanna over his nose and mouth. If I had been paying attention, I'd have seen him take something out of his pocket and contact his superiors...  
  
"Supernova, this is Red Giant."  
  
"Go ahead, Red Giant."  
  
"Comets sighted and tagged. Request further instructions."  
  
"Observe their orbits. If they get too close to the system, destroy them."  
  
"Affirmative. Red Giant out."  
  
We don't hear any of that. We're too busy working out our plans to discredit and destroy Vincent and Meris. If we had seen him, we'd have seen him walk into an alleyway and discard the bandanna, revealing a man I haven't seen since the day I was created. 


	4. Another era has begun

Valentine's Day 7: Heaven's on Fire (Runithea)  
  
The events of the last few days in Midgar were, to say the least, disquieting. People started locking their doors at night. They didn't want anyone coming in without a key. Bartenders began the practice of Last Call, shutting down at 2 am. No more late nights in Midgar... Hovering above it all was one of Gabriel's Archangels, called Vengeance by the mortals and Runithea by her counterparts in Heaven. The sudden emergence of the Demon of Destruction made her report to a church and contact Gabriel.  
  
"What is it, my sister?"  
  
"Gabriel, we have a bigger problem than those Arbiters."  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
"The Demons of Destruction and Discord are running around in human form. They've taken over the bodies of Vincent Valentine and his clone. But that's not all..."  
  
"What else is there?"  
  
Gabriel's face showed his anger at this development. Runithea quailed inwardly, always afraid of his wrath. But his anger wasn't directed at her for once.  
  
"Sir, I'm afraid our intelligence units have failed us in regards to Lucrecia, Tseng and Dr. Hojo."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"The three of them are alive and well."  
  
"What side are they on?"  
  
"Apparently Tseng and Hojo are working with Vincent and Meris to clear their names. But Lucrecia works most intimately with the clone."  
  
"Understood, Runithea. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"  
  
"Yes, sir, there is."  
  
Gabriel frowned. That was twice she'd called him sir... His hackles were raised. She only called him sir if it was important. So he was ready for whatever she had to say.  
  
"The Arbiters have been positively identified as Retribution and Justice."  
  
"Cancel the hunt. They're on our side."  
  
"Yes, Gabriel. Hunt cancelled. Nemesis and Xanetia resuming normal duties."  
  
"Thank you. Is that all, or is there more?"  
  
"I wish I didn't have more, but I do."  
  
"You always were thorough, my sister. Pray proceed."  
  
"Thank you. The Demon of Chaos only has 19 days to capture Discord before he is destroyed."  
  
"Help him as best you can without being seen."  
  
"Yes, Gabriel. I have nothing further to report at this time."  
  
"Very well. Resume your reconnaisance."  
  
"Good day to you, Gabriel."  
  
"Good day to you too, Runithea."  
  
She left the church with a great sense of happiness. It was then that she spotted her undercover agent leaving the bar he'd reported from. She frowned heavily and landed in front of him.  
  
"Why did you leave them?"  
  
"Derek showed up."  
  
"Oh, yes. Please be careful, Locke... I'd hate to lose you."  
  
"I'm always careful."  
  
He walked away with a cheerful whistle, but he was watching the area as he walked. She saw the telltale movements of his head and smiled to herself before moving on to find her next source. She found her sitting on a bench near the fountain.  
  
"How goes the search, Grace?"  
  
"It goes badly. I haven't been able to find a single survivor. They're all dead!"  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that. But what about your sisters?"  
  
"The clone left Trudi in the shower."  
  
"Sloppy."  
  
"Yes. That's why I want him so badly, Runithea... He killed both of them!"  
  
"What?!? Even Erian?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"That shouldn't have happened. Here, I'll set Nemesis on it."  
  
Runithea closed her eyes and tapped Nemesis with her mind. Nemesis replied immediately, appearing beside them at the fountain.  
  
"You wished to see me, Runithea?"  
  
"Yes, Nemesis. Grace's younger sister is dead. The clone killed her."  
  
"I'll take care of it at once."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Nemesis nodded before disappearing in a flash of golden light. Grace gave Runithea a look of sheer gratitude before closing her eyes and sliding bonelessly off the bench. The poison she'd unwittingly ingested had finally taken effect. Grace was dead, leaving 14-year-old Erian alone. But she wouldn't be alone for long...  
  
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My name is Erian, and I'm an Angel. It's not just a nickname. It's a fact. My sister Trudi had me killed because she didn't want me telling Mom and Dad she'd murdered her husband and blamed it on Cloud. I knew the guy wasn't Vincent Valentine... I'd seen him kill before, and it wasn't the same. All this guy did was stab me. Vincent usually guts his victims and leaves them to bleed. Wait a minute... Who's this? She's got golden skin and blue eyes!  
  
"Erian."  
  
"Yes, that's me. Who are you?"  
  
"My name isn't important. What is important is that you weren't supposed to die."  
  
"I know. I know something about Trudi that she didn't want Mom and Dad to know."  
  
"Did you know she was one of Dr. Hojo's test subjects?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. She practically shoved it in my face whenever I asked her to help around the house. She claimed she'd been traumatized for life and couldn't possibly resume her old life."  
  
"That isn't important anymore. She's dead too. And, I'm sorry to say, Grace is too. Someone poisoned her."  
  
I can't believe my ears... Grace, dead? Poisoned? I don't care that Trudi's dead. Knowing her, the bitch deserved her fate. The lady with the golden skin gives me a strange look, as though she can read my thoughts.  
  
"Angels don't curse, nor do they insult the dead. Even if they did deserve it."  
  
"I didn't like Trudi much. She was always so mean to Grace, even though Grace was the oldest."  
  
"I came here to give you a second chance."  
  
"You mean you're going to make me live again?"  
  
"Yes, and no."  
  
"What's the catch?"  
  
"No catch. I just don't have the capacity to give you a permanent body. I'm afraid you'll be stuck as an Angel for the rest of time. Is that all right with you?"  
  
I can't believe it!  
  
"You make that sound as if it's a bad thing."  
  
"I thought you'd say that. Take my hand, Erian, and be reborn as an Angel of God!"  
  
I take her hand eagerly. I don't mind being dead. The body I had was pretty weak and useless as it was. Trudi kept beating me and forcing me to take drugs so I'd sleep with older guys and give her the money. But this way I can help others in ways I couldn't before... When I finally open my eyes, I'm standing in the middle of my parents' house, watching the coroner take Trudi away. My body isn't there. When I became an Angel, it disappeared. But there was still enough blood to tell them I'm not alive. My folks died some time ago, leaving Grace in charge. I'm all alone now... Which reminds me of something. I think of that lady with the golden skin and realize I never did find out her name! Laughing, she appears in front of me and her name echoes in my mind.  
  
"Nemesis..."  
  
I materialize in front of the officers on the scene. They see me and their eyes widen. They can see right through me. No surprise... I'm transparent. That was deliberate on my part. Then a lady comes in and I disappear. It's Lucrecia! Or is it?  
  
"I know you're here, Erian."  
  
I rematerialize, wondering how she could see me. I'm new at this Angel stuff, can't you tell?  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"My name is Meris. A mutual friend of ours contacted me and told me to come here."  
  
"Meris? The ladycop?"  
  
"Yes. Would you care to come with me and talk?"  
  
"Sure! But, um..."  
  
She laughs softly. Hey, maybe this dame ain't so bad after all!  
  
"Leave that to me. Arbiter!"  
  
I get real disoriented and have to close my eyes. When I open them again, we're in an apartment. I don't realize it's hers till she sits on the couch. I make myself as solid as I can.  
  
"So who told you to go there?"  
  
"She wouldn't tell me her name... She just told me to go to your parents' house and find you."  
  
"Did she have golden skin and blue eyes?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"That's Nemesis. She works for God."  
  
"I see."  
  
Then I get a really nasty shock when I see what appears to be the clone walk in from the kitchen. I fade out totally, which is easy enough to do when I'm scared like I am right at this moment. So I don't see them exchange a worried glance, or hear him swearing. Which is a good thing... Because what he's saying isn't very nice!  
  
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Vincent blinked when the little girl in Meris's living room disappeared. When Meris looked at him, he knew. He started swearing, uttering some of the vilest epithets she'd ever heard. When he was finished, he sat down beside her.  
  
"The clone did that to her... He made her afraid of him, therefore she's afraid of me."  
  
Upon hearing that, the little girl reappeared, then moved closer. When she was about a foot away, she reached out and touched his face. Her touch was cool, but gentle and surprisingly solid. When she removed her hand, she solidified totally and sat on the floor.  
  
"I'm sorry, Vincent. I thought you were the clone."  
  
"That's all right. Everyone seems to think that."  
  
Meris smiled, then made a gesture with her right hand. The flesh-and-blood one, that is... In the living room, two figures appeared, holding a third in their hands. Meris and Vincent both stood, horrified at what they were seeing.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Chaos met up with Discord. This is the end result."  
  
"Can he be healed by mortal means?"  
  
Erian stood and reached out toward Chaos's face. The rest of them held their breath, expecting her to be reviled by the injured Demon. But he didn't move or say a word. She lifted his chin and said something only an adult would ever consider saying. His eyes were blank...  
  
"He's gone. Discord was able to siphon the kindness out of his soul. What he failed to realize was that good was all that was left."  
  
"So what you're saying, Erian, is that Chaos is no more."  
  
"Essentially, yes."  
  
Another Demon manifested itself in the room... Large, black and ominous. It was Destruction. He took Chaos into his embrace and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Chaos still hung limply. The once-fearful black wings hung uselessly down his back, raining black feathers onto the carpet. Then the body disappeared, consumed by a gentle red flame.  
  
"He didn't stand a chance. Now Discord holds his powers as well as his own."  
  
"That makes him twice as dangerous."  
  
Erian stood in a far corner, not liking what just happened. Chaos was a demon, sure... But he didn't deserve that! Runithea, on the other end of Midgard, felt Erian's sadness. Summoned to her like a cat to a dying mouse, she made herself visible. Retribution recognized her.  
  
"Runithea, what are you doing here?"  
  
"What just happened?"  
  
"We lost Chaos, that's all."  
  
"What? How?"  
  
Vincent spoke up, eyes red-rimmed from suppressed tears. He hadn't liked Chaos, but he agreed with Erian. He didn't deserve what Discord had done to him.  
  
"Discord took the kindness from his soul. And since kindness was all that was left..."  
  
"Chaos died."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Destruction, as Chaos's only brother, it falls to you to destroy Discord before it's too late."  
  
"I accept the charge. He will suffer for what he did to my brother!"  
  
Runithea nodded, then turned to Erian. Erian still had tearstains on her face. The only other time she'd cried was when her parents died. Even now, she felt sorry for Chaos.  
  
"Erian?"  
  
"I just wish..."  
  
"What do you wish?"  
  
"I wish there were something we could do for Chaos. Like you had Nemesis do for me."  
  
Runithea stared at Erian in bewilderment. The child had a good heart. She was about to say that it was impossible to restore that which was stolen when she realized what Erian meant.  
  
"Maybe there is, Erian... Maybe there is!"  
  
The others turned to look at Runithea and Erian. Slowly, they gathered around the pair. Meris stood with Vincent, his arms around her waist. Retribution stood with Justice, Destruction in the background. Runithea smiled at the youthful Angel and turned to the others.  
  
"Erian just gave me something I never thought to have on this mission... She's given me hope. Hope that we can do this."  
  
"What did she tell you?"  
  
"She asked if we could do for Chaos what I had Nemesis do for her. At first I didn't understand what she was talking about. Then it hit me. What if Chaos had LET Discord do what he did?"  
  
"If Chaos let Discord siphon his soul, then..."  
  
"Then he has a way to stop him!"  
  
"Destruction, you know Chaos best... What would he have in mind?"  
  
"I can only speculate and hypothesize. But I do believe he's planning to unleash Ragnarok."  
  
"RAGNAROK? Are you SERIOUS?"  
  
Destruction looked at Retribution and nodded solemnly. He'd never been more serious about anything than he was at that moment. Vincent and Meris shared a concerned glance, then she nodded. He kissed her briefly, then looked up to address the room at large.  
  
"Meris is willing to contact the Ragnarok Demoness once she's been unleashed."  
  
"Meris, you can't. You'll be killed!"  
  
"Then I'll die knowing I saved the world from the likes of the clone and Lucrecia."  
  
"But Meris... Contacting Ragnarok when she's at the height of battle rage isn't safe! The sheer volume of her power would rip you apart from the inside out!"  
  
"I'm willing to take that chance."  
  
Nobody had the chance to say anything else... A howling wind ripped through the apartment. Dishes rattled in the cupboards, cutlery shook in the drawers. Red mist seeped out from under the bathroom door. The lights flickered, then went out. When they came back on, Meris, Vincent and Destruction were gone! Chaos lay on the floor like some grisly sacrifice, then he opened his eyes.  
  
"Did it work? Did they go?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Chaos?"  
  
"I sent them to Ragnarok... She wanted to meet the mortal who was willing to die to talk to her."  
  
Runithea and Erian disappeared discreetly, leaving the three Demons to talk and discuss battle plans. This was not their place. Justice and Retribution were angry with Chaos, but were willing to listen. The Angel and Archangel manifested themselves where Grace's body lay. Erian lay one hand on her forehead and closed her eyes. The body disappeared, then reappeared in a local hospital. Grace was alive, and a note was pinned to her shirt that told of her being poisoned.  
  
"Good work, Erian."  
  
"It was a hunch."  
  
"Always go with your hunches. Lesson One on being a successful Angel."  
  
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Meanwhile, the Ragnarok Demoness snarled and paced impatiently. Chaos had freed her... Now this puny mortal female wanted to talk?!? When the fate of the world was at stake? She stopped in her tracks as an idea occurred to her. Maybe this Meris woman had an idea.  
  
"What is it you wish to talk to me about?"  
  
"I want to talk to you about Discord."  
  
"I'm aware that Discord tried to kill Chaos."  
  
"Are you also aware that he's learned the location of your Clock?"  
  
"WHAT!?!?"  
  
Meris stood there and watched as Ragnarok's face paled. That was quite a sight to behold... It went from red to pale pink in under 10 seconds. Vincent stood protectively near Meris, offering silent support. It was quite a while before Ragnarok was able to speak.  
  
"You have my full attention, Meris."  
  
"Good. I propose an alliance between us. You want Discord, I want Lucrecia and Vincent wants the clone."  
  
Destruction had disappeared back into Vincent's body. Vincent's eyes took on a crimson sheen that Ragnarok had seen before. But now it took on a new, frightful, meaning. Meris didn't flinch when she felt the difference. She now had the confidence to present her idea. Ragnarok waited patiently for her to speak.  
  
"I propose... a Bonding."  
  
Vincent gasped and Ragnarok flinched. A Bonding was unheard of! The last time someone Bonded with a Demon, the mortal went insane and the Demon was declared unfit for duty. That Demon was later destroyed at his behest. Ragnarok regained her composure first and asked the question on both their minds.  
  
"Are you out of your mind, woman!? Nobody has ever survived such a feat!"  
  
"Meris, what are you planning to do?"  
  
"I'm planning to trick Discord into taking over Lucrecia and leave the clone vulnerable."  
  
They both understood immediately. Meris was very clever...  
  
"You may have just saved the world."  
  
"Yes, I think she did."  
  
"Meris, your proposal is flawed and fraught with danger. But on the other hand, it's the only thing I can think of that can stop Discord and company."  
  
"So what are you saying?"  
  
But instead of a reply, Regnarok stood with her eyes closed. Her wings flared, covering the ground with red feathers that burst into flames on impact. They made a circle around her and Meris, excluding Vincent from what was about to happen...  
  
*She has accepted the proposed Bonding. She is initiating the Transfer.*  
  
**Transfer? What Transfer?**  
  
*She is going to transfer herself into Meris. But I've never seen the Cirle of Fire before...*  
  
**Maybe that means she's going to do something to keep Meris from going insane.**  
  
*That is entirely possible, my friend.*  
  
Meanwhile, Meris and Ragnarok stood in the middle of what was now a towering inferno. The flames shot skyward, blending with the ruby-toned clouds above. A translucent green curtain surrounded them, making Destruction flinch.  
  
**What is it?**  
  
*That is the Transfer Curtain. It's used only when the Bonding Pair are of equal power and strength.*  
  
**Then that means...**  
  
*That means Meris was supposed to Bond with Ragnarok all along!*  
  
**The Prophecy!!!**  
  
*That's the only explanation for what we're seeing!*  
  
Retribution, Justice and Chaos appeared beside Vincent. They could not enter the circle of fire without Ragnarok's permission. Inside the circle, meanwhile, Ragnarok and Meris took each other's hands. Ragnarok began to fade, and Meris began to glow. From Ragnarok's rapidly disappearing lips came a single line.  
  
"Powers of Light and Dark, be as one!"  
  
Then there was a blinding flash and they were knocked to the ground. When the light cleared, Meris was lying on the ground, and Ragnarok was gone. In Meris's right hand sat a red scroll bound with a white ribbon. Vincent was the first to recover, running to Meris's side, concern darkening his gaze.  
  
"Meris! Meris, can you hear me?"  
  
She groaned, then struggled to sit up. He helped her, slowly and gently. She leaned against his chest, eyes closed and panting heavily. They could all hear Ragnarok's projected thought.  
  
*She'll be all right in a little while. She just isn't used to it yet.*  
  
Vincent muttered something under his breath, but didn't repeat it out loud at Justice's curious look. Meris caught what he'd said and smiled.  
  
"No surprise there, dear."  
  
But Meris was in for an unpleasant shock when she woke up the next morning... She was in jail! Her first reaction was to shove at the door, hoping they'd forgotten to lock it. The door swung open silently, giving the impression that she wasn't a prisoner. Immediately, all senses were on alert. She proceeded cautiously, eyes darting to and fro. A groan from the next cell turned her head in that direction.  
  
"Vincent?"  
  
"What the hell happened? I feel like I got hit by a freight train!"  
  
She helped him out of the cell, gasping in horror at a gaping wound on his chest. Instinct prevailed and she whipped the sheet off the prisoner's cot. With deft movements of her hands, she prepared a bandage that adhered to his skin on contact. He looked down, then smiled at her.  
  
"Why didn't you let Ragnarok heal me?"  
  
"I didn't even think of it. I just acted on instinct."  
  
They proceeded with caution out to the main room. There was nobody there... But they were still careful. When they reached the outer room, Meris stopped short. There were bodies everywhere! She recognized them all with a loud gasp.  
  
"Lacey... Chief... Delaney... Jameson."  
  
"Your men and your CO."  
  
"Yes. Vincent, they've been here. This is a warning for us to stay away."  
  
"Are you going to?"  
  
"Fuck no! I'm gonna string that bitch Lucrecia up by her short and curlies!"  
  
Vincent laughed aloud at that absurd image. So did Meris, after a moment. The laughter was genuine... It was the first real release they'd had in the last few weeks. Then, linking arms, they walked out of the police station. Meris turned slightly and the structure burst into flames.  
  
"An honorable memorial for those who died so gruesomely. May they all find peace in the Afterlife."  
  
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I'm baffled. Why on Earth did Meris Bond with Ragnarok? Erian doesn't know either. She's as confused as anyone could be. We're just standing there, talking about my operatives when Erian lifts her head. There's a note of displeasure that wasn't there before.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Something's wrong. Xanetia's abandoned her post in the West."  
  
"What could possibly have happened to make her do that?"  
  
As if in answer, Gabriel himself appears in front of us. He has the same look Erian does. He doesn't like what's going on...  
  
"Report."  
  
"Meris has Bonded with the Ragnarok Demoness. The clone and Lucrecia murdered everyone in Meris's squad and her commanding officer."  
  
"Who's this beside you?"  
  
"Sir, my name is Erian. I'm Grace's younger sister."  
  
"Ah, the new Angel. Welcome. I'm just sorry it had to happen the way it did."  
  
"As am I, sir. But I was able to revive Grace."  
  
We're talking about why Meris would do what she did when the subject of our discussion comes into view. She's holding Vincent up, and he has a blood-soaked bandage on his chest... Gabriel moves over beside them and heals Vincent with a pass of his hand. Then they come over to where Erian and I are standing. Erian gets a really strange look on her face, then fades from view. Apparently, she doesn't like what she just sensed. When she tells me what she sensed, I disappear too. That just leaves Gabriel...  
  
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Meris and Vincent were standing with Gabriel when Runithea and Erian disappeared. Meris knew damn well why they disappeared. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.  
  
"They know why I Bonded with Ragnarok. And they aren't happy."  
  
"Why did you Bond with her, Meris?"  
  
"I did it to stop Discord and his companions. It was the only way."  
  
"Logical solution to the problem, Meris. And you're right... It was the only way. But we have another problem."  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
"The Archangel Xanetia has left her post in the West."  
  
Retribution appeared, having left Justice and Chaos elsewhere. She didn't seem happy about what Gabriel had just said. But they didn't know why she was upset. Until she told them.  
  
"Xanetia would never willingly abandon her post. I have a bad feeling about this. It isn't like her."  
  
"What is your stake in this, Retribution?"  
  
"I've never really told anyone this... But Xanetia is my sister."  
  
"That explains her willingness to accept that post. But why would she leave?"  
  
"That's just it, Gabriel. She didn't leave her post. She was removed."  
  
"By whom?"  
  
"I think I can answer that."  
  
They looked over at Meris. Standing behind and slightly to the left of her was one Dr. Hojo. He lifted his face to reveal sightless, bloody eyes. He'd been blinded...  
  
"Oh, my God. Hojo!"  
  
"This is important. Vincent, the clone and Lucrecia want you both dead, all right. But that's not all I have to say."  
  
"What else is there?"  
  
"They found Ragnarok's Clock and have begun its countdown sequence."  
  
"I will not allow them to destroy the world I helped create!"  
  
It was Ragnarok's voice, but it came from Meris's lips. Tseng and Locke emerged from the encroaching darkness. Tseng was holding Locke up...  
  
"Not you too..."  
  
"We got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was a shootout over in the East End. Locke here nearly bit it."  
  
Hojo went over to them using the sounds of their voices. They kept up a steady stream of chatter so he could get there safely. When Tseng saw what had happened, he gasped.  
  
"As to who removed Xanetia, I can only tell you that he isn't what he seems to be."  
  
Retribution puzzled over that for a long time, then her eyes widened as comprehension struck her full force like a freight train.  
  
"Diablo!"  
  
*Who's Diablo?*  
  
**Diablo is a demon sorcerer who claimed to love Xanetia and Retribution equally. But he chose neither of them because they share the same power.**  
  
*I think I get it. He can't have their power, so they can't either.*  
  
**Precisely.**  
  
Meris shared her observations with Vincent. He nodded concurrence, then presented the hypothesis to the crowd.  
  
"Meris thinks he's doing this because you two share the power he covets."  
  
"That's impossible... He knows he can't get it if we're alive."  
  
"Maybe he's found a way to get it and still leave you alive."  
  
"What are you saying, Tseng?"  
  
"I'm saying he might have found a way to strip you of your powers."  
  
Runithea and Erian came back, only to remove Locke from the scene. They wouldn't come back again.  
  
"They don't like what we're discussing."  
  
"You mean Runithea doesn't like it and she's decided Erian doesn't."  
  
Nemesis reappeared with Erian at her side. Erian gave her a grateful smile.  
  
"Erian!"  
  
"I wanted to stay, but Runithea said it wasn't a good idea."  
  
"We'll tell her later."  
  
"I outrank her anyway. This is important. Xanetia mentioned something unsually cryptic in her last report."  
  
"What did she say?"  
  
"She made repeated references to a Rosetta Stone."  
  
"Old Earth legend. The Rosetta Stone was believed to be a key to untold power."  
  
"Oh, no... She thinks they found the Armageddon Stone!"  
  
"That may be what she was talking about. She also said "Ask Vincent. He'll know." I don't understand that one whit."  
  
"Vincent's a whiz with computers."  
  
"That's it!"  
  
"What's it?"  
  
"That's how we can win! Vincent can program the Armageddon Stone into Midgar's most powerful computer!"  
  
Vincent was overwhelmed at the project looming before him... The Armageddon Stone was so powerful it could destroy all of Midgar with power to spare. Destruction felt his uncertainty. That uncertainty fueled something deep down inside, something Vincent thought was long gone. He had the capacity for feeling, but they wouldn't be as complete as the feelings of someone who had a heart. For that was Vincent's shame... His heart had, quite literally, been torn out. The only reason he still lived was that he now had an artificial heart. But now... That something deep down welled up until he was on his hands and knees, head hanging down. Meris watched in silent confusion, wanting to go to him, but afraid to. Ragnarok nudged her feet into action, sending her to kneel beside the man she loved. When his head came up, her breath caught in her throat. On his face were signs of someone who truly felt...  
  
"Oh, my God. He's CRYING!"  
  
He leaned back onto his heels and caressed her cheek with his flesh and blood hand. She turned her face into his hand, eyes closing against the upswell of emotion that threatened to overwhelm her. Chaos made no movement, yet there was suddenly a thick red mist surrounding the couple.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"They need to be alone. That was the best way to do it."  
  
"Ah. Come, let's plan for the end of the evil."  
  
Inside the red mist, Vincent stood and looked around. His movements were slow and eerily distorted. Meris found herself in a similar position, feeling very awkward. But the minute they touched hands, everything returned to normal. They were able to move freely, their voices sounding normal and strong.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
"I think it was Chaos's doing."  
  
"I'm beginning to like that demon..."  
  
They had a good laugh, then he tugged her in against him. She looked up at him, short of breath at the mere contact. He looked into her eyes, drawn into the depths of her soul. It seemed like he was drowning, but he wasn't anywhere near any water! She felt the same, then had an overwhelming desire to touch his chest. Her metal hand crept up and rested where his heart now beat strongly. She could feel the rhythm of his heart, a lulling, soothing sound. His metal hand rested in the same place on her chest. They stood there for what seemed like an eternity, but was only a few moments. When their arms fell to their sides, it was as if they hadn't!  
  
"Do you...?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Their respective Demons withdrew, appearing outside the circle. Meris had never felt so alone! But there was something to take the loneliness away... A soft, soothing presence in the back of her mind. It only took her a moment to recognize it. It was Vincent! From the look in his eyes, he was in the same boat. Then his arms wound around her waist and he kissed her. They shared their first truly passionate kiss since they met in the alley. Her arms curled around his neck and he slid his tongue in past her lips. If he asked her to undress, she wouldn't say no... He lifted his head and looked down at her. Her eyes were hazy with desire...  
  
"Tell me what you want, Meris."  
  
"You..."  
  
"Then you can have me."  
  
His hands wandered all over her body, caressing and cajoling. Her breath was ragged and shallow as he did what nobody else wanted to... Touch her and make her tremble. His hand touched her in that secret place and made her whimper softly. When he heard that sound, his heart soared. He stood back and let his hands drop to his sides. She took the initiative and brushed her fingers along his chest. His soft intake of breath was all she needed to continue her hesitant journey. Her fingertips brushed the juncture of the metal and flesh on the end of his right arm, halting when his arm jerked. That was when she heard the soft sigh... Gathering her courage, she put her hand on the front of his jeans. His low groan made her smile a bit. But even with this, she was still very nervous.  
  
"Meris?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"We don't have to keep going if you don't want to."  
  
"I... Would you think badly of me if I wanted to stop?"  
  
"No, sweetheart, I wouldn't."  
  
"I'd like to... But now isn't the time."  
  
At her words, the mist dissolved, leaving them in the room with Demons and Angels. Ragnarok and Destruction could feel the throbbing urge within their hosts and did their best to keep those fires under control. They had too much work to do to give in to the desires of the flesh now... 


	5. Disaster averted For now

Valentine's Day, Chapter 8: Worlds Apart (The Ragnarok Demoness)  
  
Dwelling within the confines of a fragile mortal shell was one of the most powerful demons to ever set foot in Midgar... Ragnarok. To those who could not pronounce her name, she was known as the Demoness of Armageddon. She had a clock, that was tuned to the beats and rhythms of the world. This clock had the power to turn Midgar into nothing more than a memory if it ever chimed the midnight hour. She also had the Armageddon Stone hidden in a safe place. If that Stone were to fall into the wrong hands, it would entomb all within Midgar in an endless sleep. Combined with the Clock, the Stone could either make Midgar the strongest of all the worlds, or it could make it disappear completely. Now her mission became clear... She had to keep her clock from striking the midnight hour. It also became clear what the clone was up to. He wanted to destroy Midgar! Her human host was strong in her own right...  
  
*Meris. Suggestions.*  
  
**We need to get that Stone so Vincent can program it into the computer.**  
  
*I can't do it alone. I need Xanetia.*  
  
**Damn!**  
  
Meris caught Vincent's eye and made a motion with one hand that had him cursing soundly. The others turned to him in curiosity. Vincent only cursed if something was wrong. Retribution walked over to him and spoke in Greater Demon. Destruction responded in kind. What he told her made her shoot a fireball into the air.  
  
"What was that about?"  
  
"Ragnarok can't retrieve the Stone without help."  
  
"Well, what about one of us?"  
  
"It can't be any of us. It has to be Xanetia. And if Diablo has her..."  
  
"Then he has the power to find the Stone before we do!"  
  
"Not if I get to him first!"  
  
That deep voice made all turn to its source... A cloud of fog in the alleyway. There was something familiar about that cloud... Vincent recognized it first. The name he uttered made everyone stare at the fog in shock.  
  
"SEPHIROTH!"  
  
Sure enough, it was him! The legend himself stepped from the fog bank and it faded away. Tseng brought Hojo and Locke over that way, moving slowly for the blinded scientist. Sephiroth met them halfway and healed them with passes of his hand. The group merged into a crowd too big for the alley. So Retribution moved them to a secluded clearing. They were able to spread out and did so, taking care to stay in everyone else's sight.  
  
"But, Sephiroth, I thought you were dead!"  
  
"You can't get rid of me that easily, kid."  
  
Sephiroth calling Vincent kid... That made Meris laugh and shake her head. Sephiroth saw her and his eyes narrowed. But he made no move to draw on her. Then he motioned to her metal arm. She understood his gesture immediately. It was time to let everyone know her secret. So she went behind a tree and removed the flesh covering on her arm, then came back. The metal glinted in the moonlight, catching everyone's eye.  
  
"What the deuce?"  
  
"You always did have a way with words, Locke. She's one of my former test subjects. They told me to make her into the perfect Shinra soldier. But Vincent had other ideas. I'm glad he acted on those ideas. I don't think we'd be standing here if he hadn't."  
  
Erian touched Meris's other arm, causing her to look at the youthful Angel. Erian's hand crept out and took hers. Meris smiled through a sudden veil of tears and gave that hand a gentle squeeze. To have an Angel take the hand of a Demon's vessel was truly remarkable. Vincent, and Destruction within him, could feel something radiating from Meris and Ragnarok... A voice laced with dual harmonics could be heard echoing from Meris's lips.  
  
~There is something to be said for the trust of a child... Erian has offered to be my friend. I haven't gotten that kind of offer in a long time. So, yes, Erian. I'd be honored to call you friend.~  
  
Sephiroth smiled and backed into the shadows. He'd done what he'd come to do: Unite Heaven and Hell in a common cause. Before anyone could see him and protest, he disappeared. Tseng saw the fog in the trees and understood immediately. His soft chuckle wasn't lost on any of them.  
  
"That was Sephiroth's mission, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yes, Erian, it was. He won't be coming back."  
  
Runithea appeared silently, holding something in her hands. Retribution saw it and immediately began howling. Ragnarok and Destruction separated themselves from their human hosts and echoed the unearthly howling. Demons all over Midgar howled in anguish and blind fury. And surprisingly enough, so did Discord! He started howling when he realized what had happened.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"The howl of the Dead!"  
  
"Oh, no! Diablo killed Xanetia!"  
  
Sitting in Runithea's hands, silent proof for Erian's exclamation, was Xanetia's heart. Diablo had butchered her when she refused to tell him where the Armageddon Stone was. Discord separated himself from the clone, by force, and fled to the clearing. The clone, consumed by his madness, didn't notice he was now alone in his quest to destroy Midgar. Lucrecia stood by his side, so he wasn't by himself. But inside, he was alone. When they saw Discord appear, the Demons set up a circle around Meris and Vincent.  
  
"I come in peace... Runithea, please, tell me which Demon's heart you hold in your hands."  
  
"Discord, this heart belonged to the noblest Demoness there ever was... This was Xanetia's heart."  
  
Discord balled one hand into a fist and gritted his teeth. He was attempting to hold back his ire... There were Angels present, after all. Retribution touched his shoulder and he looked at her. Standing in front of him was Xanetia's other half. Her dark side, if you will. Xanetia and Retribution had been forcibly separated when it turned out that she had two sides to her personality. Diablo wanted both halves so he could merge them into the unholiest of Demonesses...  
  
"Ambresia!"  
  
"Yes. That was our name when we shared this body. But we were separated because we couldn't always agree. So we claimed sisterhood to protect ourselves."  
  
"And now, with Xanetia dead, Ambresia will never again walk the plains of Midgar."  
  
"And so too will the Armageddon Stone remain hidden. Xanetia held the key to its location."  
  
"Not true. I have a way to bring her back. But it's not for the faint hearted."  
  
"That son of a bitch killed my other half! I want revenge!"  
  
"Then come with me."  
  
Discord led Retribution to a thickly wooded area of the forest and turned her to face him. She stood there silently, clad in a floor-length black robe with a maroon stripe down one side. He reached out and tore off the robe, leaving her nude in the moonlight. She suddenly knew what he had in mind and lifted her chin. To let Discord have his way with her was a small price to pay if it meant bringing Xanetia back. He shrugged off his own garments, then took her into his arms. Her legs came up and wrapped around his waist. He grinned in silent approval and slid himself into her. The resultant mating was, remarkably, silent. There were no screams or other sounds of violence. Destruction knew why and chuckled. The sound of a Demon chuckling was a harsh and discordant sound, no pun intended. Any who heard it winced and clapped their hands over their ears. Locke, Tseng and Hojo grinned broadly and disappeared from view, sent to a place of safety. Runithea set the heart on a tree stump and backed away, head bowed in silent prayer. Then the Angels disappeared, leaving Chaos, Justice, Destruction, Ragnarok, Vincent and Meris.  
  
"What could they be doing that has everyone grinning and disappearing?"  
  
"They're doing what comes naturally, I guess."  
  
Over in the trees, Discord was giving Retribution everything he had. Forwards, backwards, her underneath, her on top, from behind... But he was amazingly gentle for a Demon. Truth be told, he'd fallen for Retribution long before this. He'd always wanted to give her a night to remember... When they emerged, him adjusting his belt and her tugging her robe into place, there was a brilliant flash near the stump where Runithea had left the heart. When the flash died down, the owner of that heart stood tall and proud for all to see...  
  
"Xanetia!!!"  
  
"Hello again, other self."  
  
Xanetia stood tall and proud, hands clasped in front of her. Where Retribution's skin was an angry shade of red, Xanetia's was a soft pink. Retribution's wings were black and leathery, while Xanetia's were grey and feathered. Retribution carried a sickle while Xanetia carried a karsuri-gama. But their eyes were the same eerie shade of amber. And their disposition was the same... Chaotic Good. The others re-appeared, smiling faintly when they saw Xanetia. Retribution simply looked at her, knowing physical contact was forbidden, as that was the way Ambresia could come back to Midgar. Xanetia ignored the shocked looks the other Demons gave her and reached out for Retribution, hands outstretched.  
  
"Come, Sister Self... The time has come for us to be reunited."  
  
Retribution could do nothing without Ragnarok's blessing... So she looked over at her superior. Ragnarok, for her part, was more than willing to allow this. It was the only way to save Midgar from Lucrecia and the clone. So she looked at Retribution and nodded. She was giving her blessing. So Retribution reached out and her fingertips brushed Xanetia's. But that was enough... They were caught up in a whirlwind that stank of brimstone and molten sulfur. When the whirlwind dissipated, there stood a Demoness of grey skin and red wings, holding the Scythe of Judgment in her hands. The voice that emerged was eerily harmonic, indicative of the double personalities.  
  
"The Clock will be reset without being destroyed. The Scythe of Judgment has that power."  
  
Then she was gone. The wind reeked of brimstone and stank of sulfur. They could feel the world shaking beneath their feet...  
  
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I have to be out of my mind. Why did I allow Ambresia's return? I can answer that one easily. It's the only way to save Midgar from my Clock. They call me Ragnarok, but that isn't my purpose. My purpose here is to prevent Armageddon. When I was first formed from the stuffs of the Netherworld, also called Hell, they gave me power beyond any mortal's wildest imaginations. They also keyed a Clock to the beats and sounds of the world. Then they called me Ragnarok, to keep it from happening. Such was the way of things back then. The ground is beginning to shake... That can only mean one thing.  
  
"The Clock's countdown is nearing the end."  
  
"She has to hurry, then."  
  
"I only hope she's in time."  
  
"She will be. Ambresia is the Demoness of Judgment. She takes sentences rendered by the Master Demons and carries them out."  
  
"Master Demons?"  
  
"They're the Netherworld's equivalent of the Archangels."  
  
"Oh, Good Lord. If they were ever summoned to Midgar..."  
  
"They wouldn't leave anyone alive if provoked beyond control."  
  
"And they're easily provoked."  
  
"So we can only hope the clone doesn't find a way to bring them to Midgar..."  
  
I start pacing, leaving pools of sulfuric acid in my footprints. Discord just stands there, head lowered, lips cracking and bleeding as the Clock's countdown resonates in his heart. Justice and Chaos are in a similar state of decay... Destruction is the only one unmarred by the countdown. His name is reason enough. He was created to savor such a state of disrepair. But I can tell from the way he's standing that he doesn't like it one damn bit.  
  
"Destruction, talk to me."  
  
"This goes against the way of the world. I don't like it because it means Meris and Vincent will die."  
  
"Even if Ambresia does stop the Clock, it doesn't mean we won't be safe."  
  
I turn my attention to the speaker, who happens to be Vincent. Meris's metal arm is a silent reminder of things past. Vincent's metal hand is another such reminder. But unlike Meris, he was willing at the time. Hojo, Locke and Tseng are all watching him carefully, waiting to see what he does next. I have to admit, I'm watching him too... But Meris is the one who continues that train of thought.  
  
"The Clock isn't the end of it. Not by a long shot. Ragnarok, do you remember the scroll I was holding?"  
  
"Yes. Where is it?"  
  
She reaches into her jacket and brings out that scroll, so unusual because it's red with a white ribbon. The mere sight of it is enough to make Discord's disrepair undo itself. Justice and Chaos become unmarked as well, making me wonder what's on that scroll. With a sudden flash of insight, I know what that is.  
  
"That's what they're looking for! That's the scroll to summon the Master Demons!"  
  
Then, without warning, a fissure opens in the ground. From that fissure comes a cloud of red sulfur. There are only five in all the Netherworld who have such a cloud...  
  
"The Master Demons!"  
  
I will be the first to admit it. The Master Demons scare me. They always have, and they always will. And it isn't just because of their fearsome appearance. The Master Demons don't look human the way the rest of us do. The fissure belches out enough red sulfur to blind us, even me, then it's all gone. Standing in front of us is but one of the Master Demons, a male whose body resembles a grossly misproportioned dragon. And yet, for all his size and power, his voice is remarkably gentle and easy to understand.  
  
"You who hold our summons, identify yourself."  
  
"I am called Meris."  
  
"The twin to Lucrecia. You are the only one who can control the power in that scroll. If she were to get it, she would immediately release us all and destroy Midgar. Demons, tell me why Ambresia walks the land."  
  
"Master Demon Farin, the Clock counts down the time left to the world."  
  
"Who used my name?"  
  
"I did."  
  
To our total surprise, Discord moves forward, head lowered in respect. Farin, so identified by said Demon, curls one wing outward, engulfing Discord in its leathery grip. When the wing opens, Discord still stands. He falls back, hitting the ground with a huge gash in his stomach. The only one to make any kind of protest is Meris.  
  
"You didn't have to do that! He told you what you needed to know!"  
  
"Meris, don't say any more."  
  
"No, Chaos, I won't keep silent. Discord answered the question. So he used the Master Demon's name. Big whoop! That doesn't mean he deserved THAT!"  
  
"She's right, Chaos. Discord didn't deserve that."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Vincent Valentine."  
  
I can't believe what happens next... Farin descends on Vincent with a howl of rage, mouth opening widely. When he moves back, there's no sign of Vincent. We're mute with shock.  
  
"You ATE him?"  
  
"Even for a Master Demon, that was uncalled for!"  
  
"You're right. Farin, you will undo what was done. Vincent Valentine was merely speaking his mind."  
  
I can't believe my eyes! Standing behind Farin is the only Master Demoness in all the worlds...  
  
"VIROTH!"  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Farin turned around and stared at his female counterpart. Viroth was in the guise of a harpy. But she didn't act like it! She acted like a rational human instead of a crazed Demoness. Viroth's form changed with her mood. And she was upset, so she was a harpy. Vincent lay in Farin's belly, screaming as the acid ate away at his flesh. Meris could hear him screaming and dropped to her knees, hands covering her ears. Tseng, Locke and Hojo all glared at the Master Demon who'd gutted Discord and swallowed Vincent.  
  
"Farin, you have until I count to ten to reverse what you've done. Or I will make you suffer for an eternity!"  
  
Meris remained on her knees, hands over her ears in a vain attempt to block out the agonized screams of her beloved. His flesh was dissolving slowly, prolonging the agony. Farin, meanwhile, stood under Viroth's gaze unflinching. Before he could say or do anything, Vincent lay on the ground, acid burns all over his body. And Discord rose from his place on the ground, wound undone by Viroth's silent companion. There was only one Master Demon who never said a word... His form was that of a large tree. Vincent lay there shaking and whimpering, unable to stop himself. He had no voice left to scream...  
  
"Farin, what you did was reprehensible and deplorable! Explain yourself!"  
  
"They deserved it."  
  
"No they didn't! You had no right to gut Discord and swallow Vincent!"  
  
The Master Demons looked over at the source of the voice... Meris. She was kneeling beside Vincent, trying to convince him to fight death. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears and as hard as the earth itself. The mute Master Demon waved a branch over the couple, undoing the injuries to Vincent's flesh. But nobody could undo the injuries to his soul...  
  
"Vincent, please... I need you."  
  
That whispered plea went straight to his heart and rebounded all over. The ground stopped shaking and damage done vanished as though it never was. Ambresia reappeared, Scythe gleaming brightly, even with Lucrecia and the clone hanging from it by their belts. Destruction and Chaos took charge of them, tying them up with Demon cord. The sight of Vincent lying on the ground with Meris kneeling beside him made her narrow her eerie amber eyes. Then she saw the Master Demons. A shimmer, and Retribution and Xanetia stood side by side. Each held her respective weapon in a defensive pose. To see three of the Master Demons meant something awful was about to happen. Then, with a loud groan, Vincent sat up and held his head.  
  
"What in all of Midgar happened?"  
  
Meris took his hands in hers, not caring that two of those four hands were made of metal. He smiled at her, then turned around, slowly. She helped him find a place to sit where he was propped up. She sat beside him, flesh hand resting on his shoulder.  
  
"The dragon over there swallowed you because you stood up for Discord."  
  
"Now I know how a sheep feels!"  
  
"You always did have a flair for bad puns, kid."  
  
"Is that...?"  
  
"I think it is!"  
  
Sephiroth came from the shadows again, glowering at Farin all the while. He'd been sent back to deal with this menace... His Masamune glinted in the moonlight. Viroth and the mute backed up, knowing damn well what Sephiroth was there to do. Farin had caused more problems than the rest of the Master Demons put together! Retribution and Xanetia moved the humans out of range, setting them in a nearby cavern. Then, with a reek of molten sulfur, the other two Master Demons appeared, summoned by Sephiroth's Masamune. Ragnarok waved the other Demons back so as not to interfere with what was about to happen. Soon, only Sephiroth and the Master Demons were in the clearing. The Master Demon who looked like a goat spoke with a gravelly voice that carried to all involved.  
  
"Farin. You have been charged with behavior unbecoming of a Master Demon. The penalty, if you are found guilty, is death. And the Heavens have chosen the one to bring about said punishment. They have sent Sephiroth back to Midgar for this. Master Demons, convene the Tribunal to determine Farin's fate."  
  
Sephiroth stood silently as the Master Demons circled Farin with their black leathery wings. Utter silence prevailed for a long time, indicating an internal struggle. The mute Master Demon reached out with a leathery branch and lifted Sephiroth into the circle. After what seemed to be an eternity, a loud scream was heard from the center of the circle. Viroth moved back to reveal Farin and Sephiroth locked in a struggle for possession of the Masamune, currently buried to the hilt in Farin's stomach.  
  
"The verdict has been reached. Farin has been found guilty. Sephiroth's Masamune acted of its own accord. Now the penalty is being carried out. No assistance for Farin is allowed."  
  
Sephiroth's hand clamped around the hilt of the Masamune and it slid out, slick with Farin's blood. After being in dragon form for so long, Farin had become one. His claws reached out to gouge Sephiroth, only to encounter an invisible shield. Meris had her hands curved into a cat's claw position. She was the one who'd cast the shield!  
  
"Very clever, Meris."  
  
"She did say no help for Farin... But she didn't say no help for Sephiroth!"  
  
Her innocent grin wasn't lost on Viroth. Meris had correctly interpreted her words. Therefore, the shield was allowed. Sephiroth lifted the Masamune in a salute, then turned his attention to Farin. The dragon Master Demon roared and closed his talons around him, squeezing in an attempt to crush his lungs. But Sephiroth was waiting for that move... He promptly sliced Farin's arm off. He pried the talons open and stepped out, unmarked and unsplattered. The arm quickly grew back, but was shriveled and weak. Farin lifted his other arm to slice at Sephiroth's ribcage, only to have the Masamune slice clean through it. It grew back in a state identical to the first one. The shriveled limbs looked... human!  
  
"Farin isn't a true Master! He's an impostor! Those are HUMAN arms!"  
  
"She's right! Viroth, as the Senior Master Demon, what is your decision on this?"  
  
"No matter if he's an impostor or not, he must die. He acted outside the bounds of the office he held. But this means that there are only four Master Demons in place. There must be five, or the balance will be shattered."  
  
"Sephiroth, you are to carry out the sentence Viroth has handed down. Then you are given the burden of locating the fifth Master Demon."  
  
"I hear and obey, Master Demon."  
  
"He's loyal."  
  
Sephiroth gripped the Masamune in both hands and gathered his strength. Within the blade of his weapon rested a rare item... The Black Materia. Nobody knew where it had gone, but they were about to find out. The blade of Sephiroth's Masamune began to glow, an inky black aura that engulfed weapon and wielder. When the glow had reached full power and only surrounded the Masamune blade, Sephiroth lifted it above his head as though it were a longsword and charged, a loud yell ripping from his throat. Tseng recognized that glow...  
  
"Holy FUCK! That's the Black Materia!"  
  
"So that's where it went!"  
  
Sephiroth's charge brought the Masamune in line with Farin's midsection and he brought the blade down with all his might. It cut through the thick hide as though it were paper. Farin let out an inhuman screech and collapsed, fire belching from the wound. The Black Materia seeped from the Masamune onto the fallen Demon, engulfing him and turning him into a pile of sun-bleached bones.  
  
"It is ended. I go to seek the fifth."  
  
"Sephiroth. For your efforts here today, you are granted one wish."  
  
"A reward is not what I did this for. I did it in the name of justice."  
  
"Then your reward passes to Vincent."  
  
"I can't do it. My wish is selfish in nature."  
  
"Vincent, you have truly earned this. All you have done has been in the name of justice. Speak what you want."  
  
"If I were to take the wish, I'd want Sephiroth to stay on Midgar, I'd want my hand to be flesh and I'd want Meris to have her arm back."  
  
"That is not selfish. If you truly had been selfish, you'd have wished for the world to be yours."  
  
"She's right, Vincent. You've truly earned their reward. Grant what he wants."  
  
"Viroth, allow me."  
  
Viroth turned to the tree-like Master Demon and raised an eyebrow. The others were looking at him in something akin to shock. Those were the first words he'd spoken in over thirty thousand years! But Viroth only smothered a grin and nodded. The tree-like Master Demon, whose name was Remick, waved three branches. Sephiroth's form wavered, then solidified. He looked down, then nodded once with a satisfied smile. Vincent's metal hand disappeared, replaced with the flesh and blood one he'd lost so long ago. And Meris gritted her teeth as the metal arm she'd been given turned to flesh, the steel tines replaced by bones. The cap over her heart remained, but it didn't hamper her in any way. Tseng, Locke and Hojo were hiding smiles as they came out of the cave. Retribution, Xanetia, Destruction, Chaos, Justice, Discord and Ragnarok emerged, bringing Meris and Vincent with them. Merick lowered a branch for Sephiroth, who stood on it after handing Locke his Masamune. The branch lifted and Sephiroth was dwarfed by the Master Demons. In his mind, he held the identity of the missing fifth Master Demon. Viroth ferreted it from his mind and spoke it aloud.  
  
"Discord."  
  
Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Farin had untied the Demon cord holding the clone and Lucrecia, so they were long gone. Meris saw them gone and frowned. Discord couldn't look at any of them as he moved forward. Viroth hid a smile and put a taloned hand on his head. He looked up at her, eyes widening at what she was doing. The Discord Demon was the fifth Master Demon, and Viroth was giving him the power to name his own consort! His limbs trembled as her name slid from between lips that were rapidly going from red to black with the power flowing through his veins.  
  
"Retribution..."  
  
She stepped forward and bowed her head. Viroth put her other hand on Retribution's head and did the same to her that she'd done to Discord. Ragnarok, even outside the host she'd Bonded with, could sense Meris's fear. She fled silently back to her mortal host and merged their minds.  
  
*What troubles you?*  
  
**What's she doing to them?**  
  
*Discord is the fifth Master Demon, and he's named Retribution as his consort.*  
  
**But what about Xanetia?**  
  
Vincent and Destruction had merged again, and Destruction picked up on that thought. If Xanetia were left out, she'd find no reason to live, and would commit the ultimate act of attrition...  
  
**Suicide?!?**  
  
*That is the way of the Demon. Would that we could prevent it.*  
  
Sephiroth had never merged with a Demon, but there was a first time for everything. He tipped his head up to the sky and opened himself to the available Demons. Chaos felt a tug and followed it, finding himself residing within Sephiroth. To say it felt strange was a gross understatement.  
  
*Relax, Sephiroth. It's Chaos.*  
  
**This is weird! I never thought I'd experience what Meris and Vincent do... I don't know how to talk to you!**  
  
*This is how we do it. Vincent knows what will happen if Xanetia is not chosen to become one of the Master Demons.*  
  
**I think I can guess. Suicide.**  
  
*Unfortunately, yes. Because Xanetia works with the Angels, she may not be considered worthy.*  
  
**That's bullshit. She's a Demoness, isn't she?**  
  
*She is.*  
  
Meanwhile, Viroth funnelled the power of the Master Demons into the chosen vessels... Discord and Retribution. Even with the power they now had, they retained their humanoid forms. Merick, the tree Demon, turned to Xanetia and held out a branch that glowed brightly.  
  
"You will join your sister half and her consort. Touch the glowing branch, and the power will be yours."  
  
Without hesitation, Xanetia put one hand on the glowing branch Merick held out. Of all the Demons standing there, only Justice had no placement anywhere. But he was an Arbiter, so it wasn't so bad. In front of the humans, Xanetia's skin darkened, becoming blood red, and her wings turned black as pitch. Her karsuri-gama writhed and shimmered, then solidified as a sickle.  
  
"The power is yours... And the Circle is complete!"  
  
"There were SEVEN Master Demons... Not five!"  
  
Meris, and Ragnarok within her, knew what that meant. Only one Arbiter would remain to carry out the will of the Master Demons. And his place was by himself. None would travel with him, even as an ally. But he had no objections to such a fate. In fact, he'd already gone in search of the fugitives. Lucrecia had somehow convinced Diablo to let her touch Xanetia before he killed her...  
  
"Oh, no."  
  
"What is it, Meris?"  
  
"Lucrecia touched Xanetia."  
  
Vincent spouted a series of expletives designed to make a sailor blush. He knew what that meant. He'd been with Lucrecia long enough to know she could steal information by touching someone. After he'd run out of human epithets, Destruction supplied some that made Merick cringe. Viroth frowned and the goat-like Master Demon, whose name had been lost in the annals of time and was now called Brutus for obvious reasons, recoiled. The newest Master Demons just stood there without reacting. They'd heard him say those before... The final Master Demon, a genderless being in the form of a large black dog, was simply known as Omni. Brutus eyed Viroth and they headed off into the woods. Typical Demon mating included screams and threats, but there would now be two exceptions to the rule. She leaned back against a tree and he pushed into her, sliding in with little obstruction. They'd been bedmates for many a century, but this was the first time she hadn't attempted to prevent entry. His hips slammed into hers with amazing regularity, making her smile with each thrust. Her smiling during mating had always heralded intense pleasure for him... And tonight was no exception. Her tail slid up his leg and poked into his rectum. His eyes closed and he expanded inside her. It now felt like she was being ripped in half, and she loved it! When they came back, her eyes were sparkling and he was grinning as best he could with his caprine head. Vincent, who'd refrained from touching Meris since that day in the park, turned and walked into a different part of the woods. Meris made a wordless exclamation and followed him.  
  
"Vincent?"  
  
"I want to, but I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I'd hurt you and I don't want to do that."  
  
"What if it wasn't really us?"  
  
"You mean the Demons?"  
  
"Why not? She's had a thing for him since the day he was created."  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
Destruction and Ragnarok thought it was a brilliant idea. Except for one thing... If the Demons fully took over, they'd stay that way until her need had been satisfied. And neither were sure how long that would take. It also meant their human hosts would be risking immediate death upon completion.  
  
*We can't do that. You'd stand a chance of dying.*  
  
"They don't think it's such a good idea."  
  
"I know. But how can I convince you that you won't hurt me?"  
  
She suddenly knew. She brushed up against him the way she had the day in the park when the clone had attacked Vincent. His response was a low groan, then his arms wound around her and he held her tightly. She put her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. There was a hint of something in that smile... It was that something that made him groan again and kiss her. Their passion flared up and fed the Demons within. Something snapped inside Vincent and he slid one hand between her legs. He had to feel her, make her his... His hand made contact with bare flesh. He blinked and realized the Demons had removed their clothing. All the better! He knelt and put his lips where his fingers had just been. Her low moan made him smile as he kissed her most intimate of places. When he thought she was ready, he brought her to her knees in front of him. With a wicked smile, she wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned back. They fell to the forest floor, him lying on top of her, hands braced on the hard earth. It was his hands that kept him upright. Then, slowly, he lowered his hips, sliding into her wet heat. Her moan mingled with his groan as he settled into the cradle of her hips. Slowly, sensuously, Vincent Valentine made sweet love to the one woman he planned to spend the rest of his life with. Her release, when it came, was powerful and shook them both, even after he'd collapsed on top of her. The Demons within were satisfied and remained dormant. When the mortal lovers came out of the woods holding hands, everyone knew. How could they not? The woods reeked of sex! But they had no idea what lay in wait for Justice when he found the fugitives... Except Sephiroth. Because he would be the one to stop them. And when he did, he would single-handedly save the world. 


	6. What is life without a bit of controvers...

Valentine's Day, Chapter 9: Time Stands Still (Sephiroth)  
  
There once was a man named Sephiroth in Midgar, a man who had immense power. But his power was more in his mind than any spell or other such thing. He was a legend, more so for his efforts with the materia than any battle. He had an astonishing reputation for being part bloodhound. Of course, when people heard that, they assumed he was a monster. All that meant was he could find anyone or anything without any visible trail being left behind. His attitude left something to be desired, but that was to be expected. Everyone assumed Cloud had killed him. And to see him walking around Midgar holding his seven foot Masamune in battle stance was nothing short of astounding. It glowed darkly, revealing the presence of the rare Black Materia. It was this materia that killed a rogue Demon claiming a position in the Circle of Masters. He could part a crowd from a mile away. Somebody saw him stumble and fall to his knees, but did nothing to help him. If anything, the crowd that gathered around him seemed eager to revile and belittle the fallen hero. Epithets and insults flung at him seemed to further his wounds... Blood seeped from cracked lips, skin sloughed off his body from every possible place, his hair turned dark and his eyes dimmed and turned a milky white. One voice raised above them all to silence the crowd.  
  
"ENOUGH! Can't you see what you've done?"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Someone who knows that man's reputation is well-earned. And in case you haven't noticed, that man there is Sephiroth!"  
  
"No it's not. Sephiroth is dead. Cloud killed him."  
  
"If he killed me, then this is some kind of Hell..."  
  
The original speaker went over to Sephiroth and offered him a hand up by placing it on his shoulder, then lifting it. Sephiroth, once one of Midgar's greatest heroes, lifted a bloody, skinless hand toward his would-be savior. The speaker took firm hold of the hand, not caring that it had no skin. With amazing ease, Sephiroth was lifted to his feet and the handle of his Masamune held out toward him. The rush of air told the blinded man where his weapon was. With a slow gesture, he took his weapon in both hands. The minute his hands made contact with the Masamune, everything was undone. Within moments, Sephiroth stood tall and proud once more. The assembled crowd gasped softly. Then one man stepped forth.  
  
"You truly are Sephiroth. For those who vocalized what I would not, I apologize. Their manners were deplorable."  
  
Seph's gaze turned to the speaker, eyes dancing with something. The man recognized that something and moved aside with no further comment. He stood beside the man who had helped Sephiroth to his feet, a very expertly concealed Arbiter of Justice. Within the hero of Midgar's body, the Chaos Demon raged and begged to be given control. Justice recognized the tremor of Seph's fingers and moved his companion back a good distance, then shouted.  
  
"You who reviled him, now suffer the consequences of your actions! Face the CHAOS!"  
  
The Chaos Demon rose up and consumed the hero of Midgar, turning his eyes into red slits hidden within a black fog. Ebony wings sprouted from his back and folded around the fog. Those who had heard of Vincent's earlier misdeeds stumbled backward and tried to get away. But of those in the crowd, only one got away alive besides the man who refused to speak. It was a ten year old child. And there was something about that child that appealed to both parts of this hideously frightening personality. Aside from the fact that this child was a girl, there was something about her. So she didn't share the mob's fate. After the lone mute had taken the child home, Justice turned to Sephiroth and frowned heavily.  
  
"What happened between you and Farin?"  
  
"I don't know. I got to that point in my journey and couldn't go any farther."  
  
"Chaos, diagnose."  
  
"Three broken ribs, damage to his left lung and a shattered right wrist."  
  
"Can you undo it?"  
  
"No. These wounds were inflicted by the crowd. He has to have the faith of a child in order to be fully healed."  
  
"Very well. We rest until he shows some sign of improvement."  
  
Chaos, still in control of Sephiroth's body, sat down on a bench and let the hero's eyes drift shut. Justice did the same, if only for the sake of appearances. Not long after that, the child who'd been spared came back to them and put her hand on Seph's shoulder. Her voice was soft, yet had a strangely mature intonation.  
  
"Sephiroth, I would speak with you."  
  
"What would you of me, Nemesis?"  
  
Nemesis laughed and assumed her usual form, that of a woman with golden skin and blue eyes. Justice remained motionless, giving the impression of a man asleep. Seph and Chaos, sharing a body, looked at her through the same pair of eyes. But where Seph saw an Angel, Chaos saw a kindred spirit. She reached out to him and he took her hand, a ghostly apparition attached to a flesh and bone framework. Three hands touched, but anybody who looked that way only saw two. Seph was jolted from within by a blast of electricity. He rocked back and forth with a low groan as the energy surged through his body. When he stopped moving, his eyes rolled back in his head and he slid bonelessly off the bench. Only Justice's hand kept him off the ground.  
  
"I had to test him. There are things in motion that he may not be able to stop or alter."  
  
"Understood. But there are things he can do to stop certain aspects of this..."  
  
"And those aspects may well be the key to unraveling this whole thing!"  
  
"Precisely."  
  
Justice lay Seph on the bench and walked into the shadows, using them as a gateway. Nemesis, however, stayed to watch over the fallen hero. When Justice returned, he wasn't alone. He'd brought Tseng and Locke back with him. Tseng knelt beside Seph on the bench while Locke prowled around the perimeter of the area to make sure there were no surprises waiting for them. When he came back, he was nodding to himself. Tseng touched Seph's forehead and frowned. Despite the gloomy chill in the air, he felt very warm.  
  
"Did anyone check for anything in his blood?"  
  
"You mean a virus or other such contaminant?"  
  
"I didn't. Justice?"  
  
"No."  
  
Justice cursed soundly at his lapse, then alerted Chaos to the possibility. Chaos ran a tendril through Seph's blood and found what they were afraid of... His mental alert set Justice off on a rampage of epithets and profanities the likes of which none of them had ever heard.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Tseng was right... There's something in his blood!"  
  
"Chaos? Can you manifest yourself and tell us about it?"  
  
Chaos reluctantly pulled himself from Seph's body and appeared in the shadows near Justice and Nemesis. But he kept himself anchored to his mortal host with a slender tether. They were waiting for him to start talking...  
  
"I'm not sure what it is. All I know is it's making him burn up from the inside. And it wasn't from Farin. It seems to have originated within his bloodstream."  
  
Locke closed his eyes and whispered a prayer before letting out a round of profanity. Tseng had never heard Locke swear. So he was startled by what his companion said. Chaos, Nemesis and Justice looked at Locke curiously.  
  
"That's no ordinary infection. It's a bacterial phage, and if left unchecked, it will kill him."  
  
Locke's statement held all the impact of a bomb hitting the ground with a nuclear warhead. That is to say, devastasting. They couldn't believe it! Sephiroth, one of the greatest heroes Midgar had ever seen, struck down by a bacterial phage?  
  
"Not on MY watch!"  
  
And with that, Chaos disappeared with Seph in his arms, his silver hair glinting in the glow of Midgar's gas lamps. He appeared at the doors to a private medical clinic, walking through the doors. One of the nurses saw who he was holding and dropped an empty tray. The metal clanged on the floor, alerting another nurse. When she saw Sephiroth, her first thought was that he was dead. But then he groaned and his arm moved.  
  
"He's alive! Get a Goddamn stretcher out here, STAT!"  
  
"Who's it for?"  
  
"Sephiroth!"  
  
"SHIT!"  
  
The stretcher rolled out with a full medical team behind it. Chaos set him on the stretcher, then simply vanished. Nobody said anything about it, because they knew there were Demons loose in Midgar. But if they knew Vincent's clone and Lucrecia were still loose, there would be a panic. One of the nurses went to put Seph's Masamune off to one side when she saw the note. She read it aloud.  
  
"Leave the Masamune within arm's reach. He's been infected with a bacterial phage. I can't heal him, so I brought him to you. Please take good care of him... Chaos."  
  
"The Chaos Demon admitting he can't heal? That's odd."  
  
"No it's not. Seph and Chaos haven't fully merged. If they had, Chaos could have healed Seph in a heartbeat."  
  
"Oh, okay, I see."  
  
They worked tirelessly, an IV dripping fluid into his veins so he wouldn't get dehydrated. Then one of the doctors accidentally contaminated the blood sample with some cortazine. What he saw through the microscope gave him an idea and a starting place for a cure.  
  
"Cortazine retards bacterial development!"  
  
"That's a starting point!"  
  
Time passed very slowly for Sephiroth and Chaos... They started him on a cortazine drip to retard the development of the phage. And while they worked, they noticed something strange. Obtaining a pure blood sample was impossible until they'd found a way to remove the phage from his blood, but there was something about his Masamune that made the blood clear up.  
  
"I wish we had someone who'd seen him use it."  
  
"I saw him use it... When he killed a rogue Demon."  
  
"Was there anything special about it?"  
  
"Not really... Just the presence of the Black Materia."  
  
"That's IT!"  
  
"What's it?"  
  
"Sephiroth has to come into contact with the power of the Black Materia!"  
  
"But how do we activate it?"  
  
Chaos had a ready answer... He took the Masamune in Seph's clammy hand and placed the blade along his neck. The Black Materia came to life with an audible hiss, engulfing Seph within its charcoal depths. When it was gone, Seph's skin had lost its crimson flush and his breathing sounded clearer. The blood sample they drew showed no trace of the phage. They shook their heads, then left him to rest.  
  
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Good grief... Feels like I was hit with a ton of bricks! And that's hard to do in Midgar... Seeing as how we don't have bricks. Boy oh boy, do I feel sore! I can feel Chaos in the room with me, which means he had to manifest for some reason. I can't move, let alone talk, so I can't ask him what happened.  
  
"You were infected with a bacterial phage. We nearly didn't find a cure."  
  
"What... *hack hack wheeze* the hell is a phage?"  
  
"An infection in the blood. You nearly died from it."  
  
"Oh."  
  
I would've said more, except I have to stop and cough. I cough so much, I start bringing up blood. That's not good... Chaos makes a sound of some kind and a nurse comes in.  
  
"He's coughing up blood."  
  
"Oh, damn! DOCTOR!"  
  
The doc comes in and I know right away he ain't the one who's been taking care of me! I don't even have to look at Chaos to know that. But he's a real nice guy who has answers for all the questions we have. When he finds out I've been coughing up blood, he says something to do with what a guy does to a woman when she wants it, then gives me a needle full of some kind of drug. At first it doesn't do anything, then it makes me feel all disoriented and shit. I recognize the stuff before Chaos has a chance to ask him what the hell that was for.  
  
"You bastard... Bentramide?"  
  
Bentramide is a drug good old Hojo came up with to keep unwilling test subjects in line while he cut their hands off. Poor Meris got her whole damn arm cut off. Nothing can stop the bentramide until it's worn off... And it usually takes hours, or in some cases, whole days. Took Meris a week to shake it off. But he never thought to tell Security to remove my Masamune. For that I will always be grateful. It responds to a conscious thought willing it to move, so it slides over to me without a sound. The hilt brushes my fingers before the blade itself rests under them. I can feel the cold tang of the metal under my fingers... Then I'm swallowed whole by the Black Materia. It's more consuming than Chaos, and a lot more potent. When it retreats to my Masamune blade, not only has it countered the Bentramide, but it's also given me the strength to sit up. Doc's looking like I came back from the dead... I did, at some point. But that's neither here nor there.  
  
"You have some explaining to do here, Doc... So start singing before I make ya squawk!"  
  
That's no idle threat either! Doc gives me a funny look before turning and walking out. The nurse shakes her head and makes to follow him, then turns back to me. Chaos decides it'd be fun to fade out, so he does it. This nurse chick stands near my head for a while, then does something I never thought any woman would do... She bends over and kisses me! I find myself kissing her back, liking this dame's moxie. She lifts her head but doesn't straighten up right away, giving me a good look at her goodies. She's got herself a nice rack there... So I put one hand there just to see what she'll do. Mmm, they're the real deal. She's smiling at me in a way I never thought I'd see. Maybe we could hook up for a drink once I get outta here. Oops! Another doc pokes his head in. When he sees her leaning over my bed, he laughs and walks away, whistling merrily. I wait for her to leave, but she sits on the edge of my bed. This is an interesting development...  
  
"So what's a classy dame like you doing sitting on my bed?"  
  
"I like you, Sephiroth."  
  
"Oh? And why is that, may I ask?"  
  
"Do I have to have a reason?"  
  
"Hell, no. I was just checking."  
  
"Very clever."  
  
"Thanks. When I get outta here, you wanna go for dinner somewhere?"  
  
"I'd like that. A lot."  
  
"That makes two of us. So what's your name?"  
  
"Rita."  
  
"Unusual name for Midgar."  
  
"Yours ain't so common either, sailor!"  
  
"Hey, I like your moxie, Rita. Maybe we can be more than friends."  
  
"That can be arranged. Listen, I have to go on rounds, but I'll be back after my shift. Sound good?"  
  
"Damn right it does. See you then, Rita."  
  
She walks away with a wink and a wiggle of her gorgeous butt. I gotta tell ya... This is beginning to look like a good day! Uh-oh. Chaos doesn't look too happy about something...  
  
"What's on your mind, Demon man?"  
  
"Justice just gave me an alert. The clone's been spotted in the West End. He's begun torturing young girls, looking for some sort of code word."  
  
"Oh, NO! That assclown's found out about my secret weapon!"  
  
"Who did you give the code word to?"  
  
"That's just it... I can't remember. I told a teenager with two older sisters, one of whom was one of Hojo's victims. But I will be damned if I can remember any names!"  
  
Whoopsy... That seems to have triggered some sort of cloud! But what comes out ain't any sort of Ifrit or Djinn. It's... Oh, HELL!  
  
"That's HER!"  
  
"My name is Erian, Sephiroth. And I am an Angel, thanks to my sister Trudi."  
  
"Oh, fu... fudge. This isn't good. The clone's looking for you to get my code word."  
  
"He won't get it."  
  
"What makes you say that, Erian?"  
  
"It isn't an actual word he needs. He thinks it is, but that's just a dummy to hide the real code."  
  
Chaos is giving me one of those "Start talking!" looks... So I settle in and tell him the whole story. When I'm done, his face clears, then he turns to some kind of mist. I can feel him inside my body, and it's disconcerting to say the least. Erian's giving me a funny look, so I tell her what's going on.  
  
"He had a feeling somebody here isn't what they seem. Course, that isn't how he worded it, but I cleaned it up. A LOT."  
  
"Thank you for that, Sephiroth. But we have a bigger problem than you swearing."  
  
"I know. Chaos told me what's going down over where we left Vincent and Meris."  
  
"How soon can you get over there?"  
  
"As soon as I get out of here."  
  
"Which will be right now. The doctor said you're not safe here."  
  
Erian takes off and Rita comes in with my clothes in hand. She hands em to me a piece at a time and I get dressed slowly. Slowly because I need time to think. If the clone figures out Erian herself is the code, the world is doomed. Erian's a lot stronger now cause she's an Angel. When I programmed her with the code, I had no idea what was going to happen. Rita hands me my Masamune, handle first, blade across her hands. This dame knows how to handle a weapon! I take it from her with a weak smile, then go to leave. Shit bricks, I can't stand! So Rita slides an arm under mine and helps me walk. We get outside the clinic and walk through a Gate. On the other side is everyone I need to talk to. And then some. Hoo boy... They ain't gonna like me after I'm done!  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Tseng saw Sephiroth come out with a nurse and knew where Chaos had taken him. His shout brought everyone over and they gathered 'round for a story. When Sephiroth was settled into place, the purple-haired nurse beside him to keep an eye on him, they all sat.  
  
"This isn't something I'm proud of. It happened before everything."  
  
"We won't pass judgment on you, Sephiroth. We're your friends."  
  
Tseng smiled at Meris for saying that. She always had a kind word for everyone. She was even nice to Vincent when she found out he wasn't personally responsible for what happened. Sephiroth looked truly uncomfortable... Until the nurse beside him took his hand and held it gently. Sephiroth smiled at her, then took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.  
  
"It started about a year ago. When Hojo was still a mad scientist. I'd just developed a weapon that was powered by the various materia that existed. I'd found all of them except two when I realized I had to hide the code. So I found Erian, except I didn't know her name back then, and programmed her with the code for the weapon. I'd had a feeling something was going to happen."  
  
"Excuse me for interrupting, Sephiroth, but what's this code?"  
  
"Good question, Locke. Don't blame you for asking. It's a blood code."  
  
"You mean her blood would make this weapon turn on?"  
  
"Not quite. What that means is her blood contained the data to re-assemble the firing code."  
  
"And since she's an Angel, she has no blood. So you're the only one who knows the code."  
  
"Right. So the clone's doing all this for information only I have."  
  
"We didn't mean to side-track you. Please, go on."  
  
"Okay. There ain't much left to tell... Except that I still haven't found the last kind of materia. The black one's the strongest by far, but there's one more. Once I find that, the weapon will be at full capacity."  
  
"Where's the Black Materia anyway?"  
  
"In my Masamune blade."  
  
"I get it now... Good lord, Seph, you're quite devious."  
  
"Thanks, kid. I have an idea where the last materia is, but I'll need to locate it on my own."  
  
"Wait just a minute here! Seph, you're not going after the Rainbow Materia!"  
  
"I have to, Meris. It's the only one left!"  
  
"Calm down, folks. Seph here isn't strong enough to look for anything right now."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Name's Rita. I'm his private nurse. That's what the doctor said, anyway."  
  
"He just wanted her out of the clinic before the shit hit the fan."  
  
"Probable. But she's right, Seph... Even the Black Materia can't give you strength to go looking for the Rainbow."  
  
"Now did I say I was going today?"  
  
His face was cross, his voice even more so. Of all the assembled beings there, not one of them had thought to ask when he'd go looking for the Rainbow Materia. They all fell silent, embarrassed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sephiroth. When would you go to look?"  
  
"In a few days... Four, maybe five at the most."  
  
"Good idea. But I suggest extreme caution. You never know what those two are up to."  
  
"True, that. So when I go, I'm taking Vincent and Meris with me."  
  
They turned to look at the aforementioned duo. Vincent and Meris were tired of not knowing what to do when it came to the clone and Lucrecia... So, as one, they nodded. They were going. Ragnarok made Meris's blood thrum with power. Apparently Destruction was doing the same with Vincent, because they had identical looks on their faces. Chaos set up a matching cacophony within Sephiroth and made his skin turn a soft shade of red. Tseng, Locke, Hojo and Rita sat back on their heels and watched them carefully. Rita had a thing for Sephiroth and wanted to make sure he didn't get hurt. But Sephiroth hadn't said he wanted her to go, so it looked like she was staying with the others. She'd heard of them all... One doesn't live in Midgar and NOT know about all the personalities! At that particular moment, Seph looked at her, eyes an eerie shade of amber. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Their fingers touched, then they held hands. From within, she could feel a gulf opening up inside. But it didn't last long... She was engulfed by a wave of something powerful that knocked her backward. Her eyes closed and she lay back, not saying anything. Then she could hear voices.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"Rita! Rita, can you hear me?"  
  
That last voice belonged to Sephiroth... And it had an edge of panic. That same something flared up again and consumed her, leaving her with the impression that she needed to say something. So she opened her mouth, not knowing what to say. What came out was...  
  
"I am Panic. Who has summoned me to the mortal Plane?"  
  
"Panic, do you know me?"  
  
"Aye, I know ye. You are the Demon Chaos."  
  
"Know ye why you were summoned here?"  
  
"Nay."  
  
"I summoned ye because Vincent's clone knows of Sephiroth's Materia Weapon."  
  
"That is a danger indeed. But why was I brought into this host?"  
  
"Meris is Bonded with Ragnarok."  
  
"This host has her own unique talents, so mayhap things are, perchance, brighter than they seem."  
  
Rita kept her thoughts to herself, having heard of the Panic Demoness. She didn't want anyone to know who she really was... If anybody found out she was really Celes, they'd hang her out to dry. For all intents and purposes, Celes was, indeed, dead. But her spirit lived on, in a body granted to her by Nemesis. She'd given herself the name Rita and Nemesis had given her a job at the medical clinic. Panic had already gleaned the truth, but wisely kept it to herself. Celes had been the mistress of the magical arrow...  
  
"Rita?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah. I was just bowled over by the experience."  
  
They all laughed. She'd wanted them to relax... And they did. Sephiroth, of the silver hair and sober mien, crouched beside her and helped her stand up. They moved off a ways, leaving the others to talk amongst themselves. Once they were far enough away, Seph turned to her with a serious expression.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"If I told you, you'd be tracked like a dog."  
  
"Tell me, please. I'd like to know who I..."  
  
"Who you what?"  
  
"Who I have strong feelings for."  
  
"Sephiroth, my name is Celes."  
  
His eyes widened at her name. But he quickly recovered and took her hands in his. She looked at him in something akin to shock. She hadn't expected this! He tugged gently, bringing her closer to him. She stumbled, landing hard against his chest. His arms came around her to steady her. She could hear his heart beating... And he could feel hers. She looked up and he brought his head down towards her. Softly, his lips brushed hers, awakening something inside that made her whimper softly when he lifted his head. He heard that soft whimper and brought his lips back down to hers. There was nothing gentle about this kiss... It seemed as though he wanted to punish her for something. But instead of pain blossoming in her veins, it was pleasure. Her arms wound around his neck, deepening the kiss. The passion he'd unwittingly unleashed threatened to overwhelm them both. With great reluctance on both sides, they ended the kiss.  
  
"Wow..."  
  
"That's one way to put it..."  
  
They didn't realize someone had followed them, remaining a good distance back so they could only see, not hear. That someone was Locke... He saw them kissing and held in his laughter until he'd gotten back to Tseng and the others.  
  
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Name's Locke. I traveled all over looking for things to do and monsters to kill. But I ain't never seen anything like this! Seph and a nurse calling herself Rita??? That don't make any kind of sense! Here they come... Tseng and Hojo, that is. I left Sephy-boy and Rita in that clearing. They were doing some heavy-duty tongue wrestling... For lack of a better term.  
  
"Where'd they go?"  
  
I have to stifle my laughter. Even this far away, they could hear it. It's a quiet day in the woods today...  
  
"They're fine. She wanted to give him a checkup."  
  
Tseng gets my joke and chuckles softly. Then he explains it to Hojo, who grins and shakes his head. I'm not as good a tracker as old Seph is, but I get the job done. I can tell someone's been here besides everyone I've seen. The tracks literally radiate evil! So I crouch nearby and hold one hand over them to find out how fresh they are, and who made them. The feedback I get is so dark it makes me fall on my can. Tseng and Hojo help me stand up, eyes full of worry.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"These tracks. I don't know who made em, but they ain't a Goody Two-Shoes! I need Seph."  
  
Speak of the Devil and you get his cabana boy... In other words, here he comes. He sees the tracks and sends Rita over our way. She goes without a word. She's got a Demoness inside her, but we don't know it. He does what I did, but he doesn't get bowled over. I can see the red gleam in his eyes and it hits me.  
  
"Shit... We got another rogue Demon."  
  
"Worse than that, I'm afraid. This is one of their Dark Sorcerers."  
  
"How much worse is a Dark Sorcerer?"  
  
"A Dark Sorcerer is the epitome of evil in the Netherworld. To have one here without being seen is a testament to their controller's power."  
  
I look at Rita and blink. Her voice... God help me, but for a moment there she sounded like Celes! Then what she said hits us all like a freight train. That is to say, HARD. I sit on a tree stump and hang my head to regain my strength.  
  
"What kind of power does a Dark Sorcerer have and can we counter it?"  
  
"A Dark Sorcerer can call on the Darkness itself for his power. How strong his control is depends on how long he's been calling it. There is but one way to counter a Dark Sorcerer."  
  
"And what way would that be?"  
  
"We have to find the Light Wizard."  
  
The Light Wizard is a legend in its own right. Legend has it that the Light Wizard is the one who created the Dark Sorcerers, only to have the Devil steal them for his own use. But nobody knows if the Light Wizard is real or a myth. The look in Seph's eyes tells me there's more than a grain of truth to this story.  
  
"This Light Wizard is real."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How do we find them?"  
  
"That is an unknown at this point. But I have a pretty good idea..."  
  
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Seph could tell Locke had his doubts. It was in his eyes, but nowhere else. If nothing else, Locke was good at masking his body language. Tseng and Hojo, on the other hand... They believed. Rita moved over to Seph and put her hand on his arm. He could tell she had something on her mind.  
  
*This is all so new to her, Chaos. Mayhaps a mind-link would help?*  
  
*That's a good idea, Panic. She's already made contact.*  
  
Seph felt her stiffen and a new set of memories came to him. Then he realized what was going on... The Demons had initiated a mind-link! She truly was Celes... He put his hand over hers to reassure her. That was all it took. She calmed down and let things progress naturally. When they ended the mind-link, Rita would have dropped if it weren't for Seph. His arms wound around her waist and held her up. She leaned against him, glad he was there. Locke saw a flash of red cross her skin and he knew.  
  
"Dang!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I don't know which one is there, but she's not alone."  
  
"Oh, no."  
  
"I am the one they call the Panic Demoness. Fear not, for I come to help Midgar."  
  
"Thank you for telling us."  
  
Rita stayed where she was, content to hear Seph's heartbeat. Seph, for his part, was truly startled by the depths of his feelings for her. She looked up at him, silently asking what they were to do now. He dipped his head and kissed her, softly and briefly. Tseng and Hojo could barely contain their laughter. Locke elbowed Tseng and harrumph'ed. They stopped, embarrassed at being caught. Rita and Seph actually looked good together...  
  
"What a cute couple."  
  
"You got that right, Meris."  
  
Seph just smiled, unwilling to get involved in that discussion. Rita kept her mouth shut too. Ever since Panic took up residence, she'd felt her cover slipping, threatening to reveal her identity to the most influential people in Midgar. Yuffie, Cloud, Aeris and Tifa were long gone... As were Sabin, Gau and Terra... So many brave heroes lost in the name of freedom. Locke and Celes were all that remained of the first group. After defeating Kefka, Gau went back to the wild and was never heard from again. Sabin and Terra got into a relationship that ended in a double murder. Someone broke in to his cabin and slaughtered them in a manner most brutal. Nobody investigated it, having assumed Gau had snapped and sent animals to do them in. One of those names slipped out...  
  
"Oh, poor Sabin..."  
  
Vincent was sent spiraling back to the night he stumbled on an occupied cabin. He hadn't been aware of his actions at the time, being consumed by Chaos at the time. There'd been two people in the cabin... He hadn't wanted to hurt them. But Chaos had overwhelmed his sense of control and when he'd come out of it, they were dead. He remembered now that one of them had had green hair...  
  
"God, no... It was me."  
  
Sephiroth knew he hadn't meant to do it. His hand on Vincent's shoulder made the younger man look up and offer a wan smile.  
  
"If it makes you feel any better, he feels bad about it too."  
  
"Not much, but it does."  
  
Rita knew her time had come. So she closed her eyes and let Panic undo her disguise. When the light died down, she looked the same, but she had blonde hair and was taller than before. There was something about her that made Meris wonder.  
  
"Who the devil are you?"  
  
"I'm Celes."  
  
Vincent staggered back like he'd been punched in the stomach. And, in a way, he had.  
  
"So you finally found me."  
  
"Yes. It took me a long time, but I did. Things have changed, Vincent."  
  
Vincent nodded a bit, then he and Meris walked away. They were holding hands as they left, telling Celes he'd found her at long last. Her smile was eerily reminiscent of his, but nobody commented on it. Not yet, anyway. There was something about her that made them want to be careful. Seph turned Celes to look at him, holding her loosely in the circle of his arms. She looked up at him, then he voiced the question on everyone's minds.  
  
"What's the deal with you and Vincent?"  
  
"I was hoping nobody would ask me that... He's my brother."  
  
"But you two don't look anything alike!"  
  
"That was dear old Dad's idea. He spelled me so I would look like Mom and nobody else. It nearly drove us crazy when we were children."  
  
"Because nobody believed you when you said you were siblings?"  
  
"Right. I need the Light Wizard to undo it."  
  
"Any ideas on who it is?"  
  
"None."  
  
He didn't sigh or show frustration. He just nodded a bit, then smooched her forehead and rested his chin on top of her head. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. If they only knew who the Light Wizard was... When they found out, Midgar would never be the same again. Only he who possessed all the Materia in Midgar would have his fate revealed to him. Sephiroth was so close to that goal... He remembered something and cursed.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I need to put the Black Materia in the weapon!"  
  
"Do you remember where it is?"  
  
"That's the easy part. The hard part is getting there."  
  
"Explain."  
  
"There's a monster guarding the machine."  
  
"That's no problem... Remember who we have with us."  
  
"I plum forgot. But I also forgot what kind of monster it was..."  
  
"Uh-oh."  
  
The glum look on his face told her it was a particularly nasty monster too... She was almost afraid to ask! But she had to.  
  
"What kind of monster is it?"  
  
"The Dadaluma."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Seph looked so miserable, she had to reconsider her reaction. The Dadaluma was one of the enemies she'd faced a long time ago in the city of Zoso. And a nasty thing it was too... Perhaps that was why Seph had chosen it to guard his Materia Weapon. But wait...  
  
"Did you choose it? Or did it volunteer?"  
  
"It chose me. I couldn't refuse after I'd seen how powerful it was."  
  
"Okay. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did."  
  
"That's okay. Come on, we'd better get going. The sooner I get the Black Materia in there, the sooner I can start looking for the Rainbow Materia."  
  
They set off together, Seph using his Masamune to clear the plants out of her way. It took three days of hard travel to get to the cave he'd hidden the Weapon in. Upon arrival, the first thing Seph noticed was that an animal had taken up residence. The second thing he noticed was that the Weapon was there, but the Dadaluma wasn't.  
  
"Dadaluma!"  
  
"He's gone, Sephiroth. The Dadaluma fled when Cloud assaulted you. He thought you dead, his geas undone."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
An eerie spectral presence shimmered and faded into view. At first it had no shape and was a white blob. But then it shaped itself into the semblance of a man, complete with rapier and blaster pistol. His face was lined and old, but that soon cleared. The face that was revealed made Sephiroth flinch.  
  
"No... Not you!"  
  
"Who is that, Seph?"  
  
"That is a man I thought I'd never see again as long as I lived. That is my father!"  
  
The venom in his words made Celes blink. Then she got a good look at the ghost in front of them. He looked exactly like Seph... But that brought up another question.  
  
"If he's your father, why isn't he carrying a Masamune?"  
  
"Because I passed it on to him before I left. I never made it home... At least, not alive. I came back in a box about two years after I left."  
  
"Mom never told me you were dead... She said you ran out on us. I knew I should've gone looking for you!"  
  
"You'd have died too, son. I encountered a Wind Pixie. She didn't like my face and cut it off for me. She also took my heart out of my chest..."  
  
Seph winced and hung his head. His father floated over and put a ghostly hand on his shoulder. Seph looked up and saw something that made his eyes fill with tears. In his father's eyes was a compassion that nobody had ever shown him...  
  
"I'm sorry, Dad."  
  
"For what? Your mother was the one who lied."  
  
"She died just before I went out on my own... Somebody broke in and killed her for a fortune in gold that she never had."  
  
"I know. I was watching over you to make sure you grew up right. But I couldn't stop him."  
  
"And I wasn't even home... She sent me off to town for some fool errand."  
  
"I think she knew someone was coming to the house. She didn't want you there."  
  
Celes had found the Materia Weapon and was studying it closely, hands behind her back. Seph and his father watched her, twin smiles on their faces. When she'd finished her examination, she turned around. The scowl on her face made Seph's senses go on alert.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Someone's been here since the Dadaluma left. They managed to tamper with the firing mechanism. They've also locked out most of the Materias from powering the weapon."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Seph ran over to the Weapon and cursed violently. He punched buttons and typed codes in a frantic haste. He had to open those locks... If he tried to add the Black Materia now, it would explode and they'd get scattered everywhere. It took him a while, but he got everything fixed.  
  
"There. Now to add the Black Materia."  
  
"You got it?"  
  
"Yes. He's got it in the blade of his Masamune."  
  
"That's an excellent place for it..."  
  
Seph drew the Masamune and slid it into the slot on the side of the barrel. The Weapon's internal computers recognized the Materia's power signature and carefully extracted it from the Masamune. When it had been removed and stored, a button lit up.  
  
"Extraction and storage complete."  
  
Seph removed the Masamune and put it back on his hip. Then he went to work on the firing mechanism. After a while, however, he sat back on his heels and sighed.  
  
"It's a total loss. I have to replace it."  
  
"How long will that take?"  
  
"Too long. I have to find another place to store the Materias."  
  
"No you don't. I have a way."  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"Allow me."  
  
Seph stood up and backed away, giving his father's ghost clear access to the Weapon. The ghost floated up to it and one hand sank into the metal. Beeps, clicks and whirs made Seph blink. His father had somehow activated the repair protocols!  
  
"Damn! I forgot all about those!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The repair protocols I put in! I forgot I'd done it. But he managed to find and activate them!"  
  
When his father floated backward, every system light was green. Seph ran a quick check, then nodded once. He turned to his father with one hand still on the Materia Storage barrel.  
  
"I wish there was some way I could bring you back..."  
  
There was a brilliant flash of light that blinded Seph and Celes. When the light died down, Seph's father stood there, solid and whole. Seph made a sound that wasn't a cry, but wasn't quite a sob. His father opened his arms and Seph ran into them. Celes turned so she wasn't looking at them, giving them a moment alone. Seph stood in his father's arms, tears flowing freely down his face. After he let go, he turned to Celes, wiping the tears away.  
  
"Come on... Come meet my dad."  
  
She walked over to them, marveling at how much they looked like each other. When she got close enough, Seph grabbed her in a hug and held her tightly.  
  
"Dad, this is Celes. Celes, this is my father Sindar."  
  
"Sindar the Great?"  
  
"That was one of my titles, yes."  
  
"I'm still wondering how..."  
  
"You forgot to take your hand off the Materia Storage unit."  
  
"That'd do it."  
  
Sindar laughed and ruffled Seph's hair, drawing a protest from his son. Celes laughed too, a soft sound that reminded them of silver bells ringing in the moonlight. Then Seph turned to face the entrance to the cave.  
  
"What is it, Seph?"  
  
"We've got company."  
  
Locke walked into the cave and held out one hand to Seph. He took it and they shook. Then Locke saw Sindar and his eyes widened. Celes bit her lip to keep from laughing.  
  
"Sindar the Great... I thought you dead."  
  
"Seph brought me back with a wish."  
  
"Ah. Will you join us to save Midgar?"  
  
"My boy, it would be a pleasure to have one last adventure before I settled in and retired."  
  
"Retire? You? You'd be begging for an adventure before long and you know it!"  
  
"You know me so well, Seph..."  
  
"Why not? I'm just like you, Dad."  
  
Locke laughed and shook his head. Then Celes, after carefully finding a place to lean on, spotted something in the corner of the cave. Her eyes narrowed as she prowled toward it.  
  
"What'd you find, Celes?"  
  
"Looks like a computer chip of some kind."  
  
She held it out to Locke, who examined it carefully before handing it off to Seph. Father and son examined it together, then Seph put the chip in the side of the Materia Storage barrel.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"Celes, my dear, you found the chip I needed to control the width of the beam."  
  
"Oh. But who would do that?"  
  
"I have a pretty good idea..."  
  
The four of them stepped out of the cave and it was concealed from view by an elaborate illusion, making it appear to be part of the wilderness. Seph nodded and they moved out. Celes, Locke and Sindar soon fell behind, watching him follow the silent call of the Materia Hunter. For that was what he was... He stopped by a boulder with a slit in it. Drawing his Masamune, he slipped it into the hole in the boulder. A pathway opened, wide enough for four. He waved them forward with his free hand, holding the path until someone stepped on it. Celes put her feet firmly on the path, keeping it open for them all. Locke and Sindar joined her, then Seph, holding his Masamune. The path wound around obstacles, providing easy footing for them. Seph saw a glitter in the path and knelt by it. After he determined the glitter's reason for being there, he stood and walked on. The path soon narrowed, forcing them to walk two abreast. Then it narrowed even further, making them go single-file.  
  
"I don't like this."  
  
"I don't either. Why did the path narrow?"  
  
"I can answer that. We're on the right track."  
  
"I get it. The closer we get, the harder the path."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
They stepped off the path into a wide clearing. None of them trusted it, so they stayed close together. A black dragon lifted its head and revealed the rest of their path. It stood and they thanked it as they passed. It understood the call of the Materia Hunter... It had seen several over its centuries of existence. But Seph was the first it had seen with his Masamune drawn and three companions. As Celes passed, it gave her several scales off its tail. She put them in her pocket with a quiet thank you. The path ended in front of a petrified tree.  
  
"Is this it?"  
  
"I doubt it."  
  
Locke's comment opened the rest of the path. Celes went first, leaving a dragon scale on the tree, where it became embedded in the wood. A Wood Dragon would rise if called upon... She made sure to keep four scales, one for each of them. She also concealed three more in case they needed the dragon's help. The rest were put on objects and sank in. Stone dragons aplenty, with a few bush dragons and another Wood Dragon. Sindar brought up the rear of their little party, keeping an eye out for danger. They encountered little to no resistance on the path as they traveled, making Seph's hackles raise.  
  
"I don't like this. There should be plenty to stop us."  
  
"Maybe they're farther along."  
  
"Or maybe it's a wild goose chase."  
  
"I don't think so... There was moss growing on the rock at the very beginning of the path."  
  
The cave opened in front of their very eyes... It was huge! Locke's eyes were wider than anything they'd ever seen as they walked in. There were piles of treasure as far as the eye could see. But they were focused on one thing, and one thing alone.  
  
"The Rainbow Materia!"  
  
"There it is!"  
  
A rainbow pillar hovered above a marble altar, shining and shimmering brightly in the darkness. They stood there in awe, unable to move or say anything. Sindar nudged Seph's Masamune, reminding his son why they were here. Seph drew the Masamune, but made no other move. The Materia spoke with a multi-toned voice.  
  
"Welcome, Materia Hunter. I am the last of what you seek."  
  
"Yes. The Black was harder to find than you. I have to admit, I didn't think it would be this easy."  
  
"That is because I allowed you to find me."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You are the only one who has found all the Materia without losing any of them."  
  
Celes nudged the Masamune, lifting the blade. Shimmers of the Black still glistened on the blade, ebony slivers contrasting against the silver metal. The Rainbow Materia was drawn to the presence of another rare Materia, allowing itself to be trapped in the blade. Seph blinked at the power radiating from his Masamune, then he saw the rainbow shimmer.  
  
"Amazing."  
  
"Let's get out of here before the cave collapses." 


	7. The End? Perhaps

Valentine's Day: Chapter Ten, Destruction of the Past (Celes)  
  
They ran out of the cave, shouting to each other as they went, making sure they were all there. Once they were outside the cave, rocks cascaded down over the opening, sealing it for eternity. A quick tally confirmed what they'd all feared... Someone hadn't gotten out.  
  
"Who's missing?"  
  
Sindar stood behind Celes, who stood by Locke. The one person they needed most was trapped inside the cave...  
  
"Oh my God. SEPH!"  
  
Inside the cave, Sephiroth hammered on the walls, shouting and begging the others to find him. His air was running out... Too quickly to be natural. His Masamune was humming eerily, so he drew it. It led him to a spot on the wall that wasn't the same color as the rest of the wall. He sheathed the Masamune and drew on all the power he had inside, then balled one hand into a fist. He pulled his arm back, eyes fixed on that discoloration on the wall. Then he threw his fist forward, hurling all his weight into the blow. On impact, the wall shattered like a pane of glass hit by a stone. He fell forward, half-buried in the rubble of the cave wall. He lifted himself up and found a secondary cavern. His Masamune hummed again, so he drew it. He was led by the multi-hued glow of the Rainbow Materia, pulled into the cavern where a huge marble altar stood. He stared at it in shock and awe. The Materia spoke again.  
  
"This is what I was hoping for... The Altar of the Heavens!"  
  
"You mean... It's been here the whole time?"  
  
"Yes. Place your Masamune on the Altar. Nothing bad will happen."  
  
He bit his lip, then did as instructed. The cave entrance was still sealed, barring entry. Once the Masamune was placed on the Altar of the Heavens, the entire cave was filled with a blinding white light. Seph brought his arm up to shield his eyes from the light. Once it died down, he lowered his arm. And in so doing, he confronted an image from his past.  
  
"Good God in Heaven... RIFKIN?"  
  
Rifkin had been Sephiroth's first sidekick. His cocky swagger and "give em hell" grin had been his trademarks on any excursion. Anyone who'd seen him had immediately assumed he was in charge. Always they'd be proven wrong when Seph identified himself. Only once had that mistake resulted in a fatality. Rifkin had been playing with his dagger when someone approached him about his "assistant". Seph had been haggling with a person in the market over the price of bread when he'd heard shouting. He'd instantly thought "Rifkin!" and ran toward the shouting. Someone saw him running and shouted for the people to make way. A clear path had led Seph to a horrifying sight: Rifkin had a sword buried in his gut, blood bubbling from both sides of the wound and the corner of his mouth. Seph recognized the hilt and dropped to his knees.  
  
"No... Geralt, why?"  
  
Geralt lay dead on the ground, Rifkin's dagger jutting from his chest. Geralt and Rifkin had been best friends until Seph chose Rifkin over Geralt. Geralt had never forgiven Seph for overlooking him, or Rifkin for accepting. Now the best friends lay dead, slain by each other's weapons. Seph jerked out of his reverie and looked at Rifkin in sorrow.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"For what? It was my own fault."  
  
"No it wasn't. I should have taken you with me to buy the supplies. If I had, you'd be alive today."  
  
"I would have died anyway. Geralt told me he had mercenaries looking for me if I survived. He made sure I didn't. But he didn't survive either."  
  
"But Rifkin... How in all that's holy did you wind up in the Altar of the Heavens?"  
  
"My father. Seph, my father was the Light Wizard..."  
  
"Was?"  
  
"He died shortly after he put me here to wait for you."  
  
"But I thought the Light Wizard was eternal!"  
  
"He is if he has something to live for. Rifkin's father had nothing. Both his sons were lost to him."  
  
"Both his sons? I thought you were the only son!"  
  
"So did I. I found out about the other son shortly before I died. I never had the chance to tell you his name..."  
  
"If you tell me it's Locke, I'm going to beat you."  
  
"No. But you're on the right track."  
  
"Then who?"  
  
Rifkin leaned forward and whispered his name in Seph's ear. Seph jerked as though he'd been slapped.  
  
"But... Rifkin, he's still alive! He's waiting for me back near Midgar City!"  
  
"He is?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
Rifkin frowned, then began to glow. Not only did Seph and Rifkin get out of the cave with Seph's Masamune, but they were taken directly to Seph's weapon. Celes, Locke and Sindar were there too, blinking and rubbing their eyes. When Sindar saw Rifkin, he sucked in his breath.  
  
"As I live and breathe... Rifkin, is that you?"  
  
"Yes, sir, it's me. Seph found the Altar of the Heavens."  
  
Seph looked around, then saw who he was looking for. Rifkin followed his gaze and quirked his lips in a smile.  
  
"He hasn't changed a bit."  
  
"Nope."  
  
Rifkin moved silently over to the man Seph had shown him, only to come back shaking his head.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"That's not him. Sure, he's a brother. He's just not mine."  
  
"Rifkin, look at me. Who do I look like?"  
  
Rifkin gave Celes a thorough visual examination, then his eyes went very wide. One hand raised, fingers trembling. Seph saw it and cursed long and loud.  
  
"VINCENT! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!"  
  
Vincent came over at a dead run, Meris right beside him. They skidded to a stop beside Celes, panting slightly. Rifkin put his hand on Vincent's shoulder, the other on Celes'. The three of them were enveloped in a white glow that threatened to blind everyone. When it died down, Rifkin and Vincent looked exactly alike, and Celes was eerily reminiscent of them. Which meant...  
  
"Celes, Vincent and Rifkin are the Light Wizards!"  
  
Meris turned her gaze on Seph, who had an unabashed grin on his face.  
  
"He knew! Seph KNEW!"  
  
"I had my suspicions. But it wasn't until I saw Rifkin again that I knew for sure."  
  
"You mean..."  
  
"Yes. Vincent and Rifkin were disguised, not Celes."  
  
Celes looked down at the ground, unsure of what to say. She was one of three... And her brothers were the Light Wizards. Tradition had it that only the sons could inherit the powers. She hung back as the others moved on, chatting animatedly amongst themselves. When Seph found out she wasn't there, he went back to her. He put a hand on her shoulder, using his other one to tip her chin upward so she was looking at him.  
  
"Celes, what's wrong?"  
  
"I'm no Light Wizard. Only the sons inherit the power."  
  
"What about your Magic Arrows? Aren't they a form of light?"  
  
"No, they're not. They just look like they are."  
  
"Celes, how many times do I have to tell you, you're unique? You have your own power."  
  
She laughed, but it was a harsh, discordant sound. It made Seph cringe. Then he looked at her, using his eyes to communicate the depth of his feelings for her. What she saw made her gasp softly. His eyes were full of... Sephiroth had fallen in love! It flared outward, enveloping her in a rosy glow. When the glow died down, Celes stood tall and proud, Celestial Bow held in one hand. In the other... In the other she held Heaven's Harp. The others saw it and Meris gasped.  
  
"He knew... Father knew!"  
  
"Knew what, Vincent?"  
  
"He knew Celes was the first female to inherit the power!"  
  
"You mean..."  
  
"Yes! CELES is this generation's Light Wizard! Not either of us!"  
  
"But how?"  
  
"It's quite simple, really... I let her know how I felt about her."  
  
They looked at Seph and Meris laughed. She'd seen the glow, even if nobody else had. She took Vincent's hand and he smiled. He could see the glow too... That same glow surrounded them, and Rifkin laughed softly.  
  
"What's so funny, Rifkin?"  
  
"Vincent, did you ever tell Meris how you felt? Or did you just assume she knew?"  
  
Vincent blinked, then looked at Meris. She looked up at him, the depths of her love shining in her eyes. The same rosy glow that had encapsulated Celes now engulfed Vincent. When it died down, in one hand, he held the Heaven's Wrath Masamune. And in the other... In the other, he held a shimmering silver flute.  
  
"That's two... Rifkin?"  
  
"I'll find her. Some day."  
  
His cheerful attitude made Seph tip his head to one side. Before his death, he'd been sure nobody would want him. Something had happened to make him think positively. Locke saw the pensive look on Seph's face and grinned. Then he playfully socked him on the arm.  
  
"Relax, buddy. He was so negative before because he thought he didn't have a family. And that he couldn't."  
  
Seph turned to Locke, then the meaning of his words hit Seph like a fist in the gut. He slid one arm around Celes's waist. Vincent held Meris as they walked over to them. Seph slung his other arm around Vincent's neck and Meris held her free hand out toward Rifkin. Sindar stood with his hand on Seph's shoulder, smiling a bit.  
  
"Rifkin... We're your family."  
  
Rifkin turned to face them, then a smile spread across his face. He took a step toward them and got caught up in that rosy glow. When it died down, he held the Hell's Fury Masamune in his right hand. And in his left, he held the Pipes of Pan.  
  
"Together again... The Wizards of Light are here!"  
  
The Dark Sorcerer detected a surge in the light energy Midgar put out and smirked. Whoever they were, they were no match for him! He sent his minions to destroy the light users, Hellhounds of the highest caliber. Three blasts of light, and they were no more. The Dark Sorcerer suddenly realized he needed to measure the output of these new sources of light. When he saw just how strong they were, he had to blink. Their Light Indicators were off the chart! He had to summon his Master.  
  
"Who summons Morgoth, Demon of the Flames?"  
  
"Master, the Light Indicators are soaring off the top of the scale!"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"See for yourself."  
  
Morgoth, Demon of the Flames, cast his baleful gaze into the nearby cauldron. The water bubbled and boiled, then revealed the trio standing amid a crowd of friends.  
  
"This can't be! Dimak, did you not tell me the Light Wizard was dead?"  
  
"He is, Master."  
  
"Then these must be his children! There are THREE Light Wizards now!"  
  
Dimak peered into the cauldron and blinked. He could easily identify the triad...  
  
"Rifkin. Master of Mist and Ice."  
  
"Vincent. Master of Fire and Heat."  
  
"And Celes. Mistress of Light and Love."  
  
"Rifkin, Vincent and Celes? The VALENTINES?"  
  
"Yes, Dread Master."  
  
"Summon the clone and his wench!"  
  
"At once!"  
  
The clone and Lucrecia appeared in front of Morgoth and Dimak, eyes narrowed against the light Celes was emitting. Morgoth bellowed, bringing two dark spheres into the area. Then he sent one to each of his servants. Within them, Morgoth's children grew and blossomed, feeding off their hatred and desire for power. Dimak also received a dark sphere, containing Morgoth's eldest child, a son of incredible power. But they would not gain humanoid form until they'd reached full growth. Then Morgoth sent them to the surface to destroy the Light Wizards. Meris felt them before she saw them.  
  
"Morgoth sent his children to destroy you."  
  
"Morgoth? The Demon of the Flames?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Seph felt Chaos straining at the unseen bonds that prevented a full merger and closed his eyes. The chains fell away, leaving Chaos free to consume his host. The roar and crackle of flames could be heard as Chaos and Seph Bonded, black leathery wings flaring from his back. Panic had been ousted when Celes took her rightful place as a Light Wizard. She resided in Hell, waiting for her next assignment. But when Chaos Bonded with Seph, she was called back, taking her usual form of a well-endowed human female. Her red taloned hand stretched out, grasping his flesh and blood hand firmly. She was sucked into his body, completing the merger. Black mist rolled into the area, concealing Seph from view. When it cleared, Seph literally glowed with power.  
  
"Who summons the Great Master Demon?"  
  
Meris and Ragnarok conversed internally, then a set of blood-red wings blossomed, folding behind her. Red fog hovered around her knees, concealing her feet.  
  
"I do. Great Master, Morgoth has sent his children to destroy the Light Wizards."  
  
"Ragnarok, your wisdom betrays you. The Circle has fallen. All who held positions are no more."  
  
"No..."  
  
Meris wept for the Demons and Demonesses who had fallen. Retribution, Discord, Xanetia... Gone. Her sorrow surfaced in the form of blood-red tears.  
  
"Why tears?"  
  
"The human I Bonded with knew all who dwelled within the Circle. She cared for them deeply."  
  
"Their loss will be keenly felt by all for years to come. But one remains."  
  
Vincent stepped forward and knelt. Destruction manifested himself in front of the Great Master Demon. Then Vincent went back to his siblings and Celes felt an emptiness within.  
  
"Destruction. You alone remain."  
  
"Yes, Great Master."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I wanted to stay with Vincent."  
  
The Great Master Demon knew Destruction could no longer stay with Vincent... But there was a way. The catch was, the Great Master couldn't do it. But he knew who could.  
  
"Gabriel."  
  
The Archangel Gabriel came at the Great Master Demon's summons, shining softly in the light of Heaven. He saw the trio of Light Wizards and understood.  
  
"What is your wish, Grudah?"  
  
Grudah, so named by his angelic counterpart, lifted a taloned hand. The ball of fire on his palm told Gabriel all he needed to know.  
  
"Ambresia truly is no more, then. Discord, Viroth, Remick, Brutus and Omni... Gone. Destruction, come forward."  
  
Destruction found himself in front of Gabriel and quailed inwardly. But on the outside, he appeared calm. Erian appeared, Nemesis beside her. Shades of the fallen Master Demons appeared, no more than shadows. Gabriel put one hand on Destruction's shoulder and he was engulfed in a white light.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"He's giving Destruction his fondest wish! He's making him an Archangel!"  
  
When the light died down, Destruction was no longer a Demon. In the Demon's place stood a mighty Archangel, armed with twin sickles, Retribution and Xanetia's weapons of choice. His eyes, once pitch black, were now an electric green. Long black hair descended past his shoulders, held in place by a simple filet. His wings held silver, gold and titanium feathers.  
  
"Choose a name."  
  
"I am Jarreth, Archangel of Destruction!"  
  
"So be it! Now take your place, Jarreth!"  
  
Jarreth strode over to Vincent and seemed to fade away. But he'd really taken his place inside him. Vincent's eyes widened as his power was fueled by Jarreth's presence. Morgoth's children rose up and assumed their rightful forms, that of hideously deformed Demons. The clone, Lucrecia and Dimak fell to the ground, dead. Now Morgoth's children held the information their mortal hosts had unwittingly provided. Sephiroth, commanded by Grudah, drew his Masamune, glittering with a rainbow sheen. Locke saw it and grinned exultantly. Until a taloned hand shot through his back and emerged from the center of his chest, holding his heart. Celes saw it and screamed.  
  
"LOCKE!"  
  
Rifkin snarled and sent lances of ice toward the Demon who'd killed Locke. Locke fell to the ground, blood pouring from the gaping holes and staining the earth. When struck by the shards of ice, the Demon recoiled, screaming inhumanly. Celes stood with one hand in front of her mouth, transfixed with horror. Vincent started shooting balls of fire, making the others dance backward to avoid being struck by their own element. Seph charged forward and moved Celes out of the way.  
  
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I am Celes, Wizard of Light and Mistress of the Magical Arrow. I was unaware of Rifkin until Sephiroth brought us together again. His father, Sindar the Great, is a legend, as is Sephiroth himself. Like father, like son. But what I'm seeing now is horrific. I can't watch, yet I'm unable to turn away. If Sephiroth hadn't moved me out of the way, I would have been gutted like a fish. One of those Demons has a scythe. That Scythe looks familiar...  
  
"Oh, no! That's the Scythe of Judgment!"  
  
"Ambresia's weapon?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
I can feel something shifting inside me, growing until it overwhelms me. I know what it is... It's anger. These Demons have annoyed me to the point where I've lost my temper. It takes a lot to get me mad, but when you do... Look out. Sephiroth can see the look in my eyes and curses before moving out of the way.  
  
"Look out! Celes is pissed off!"  
  
They all move out of the way, giving me a clear shot. One after the other, I fire off arrows from the Celestial Bow, a dozen in all. They strike their targets with unerring accuracy, making them scream as the Light within the Arrows eats away at their damned flesh. With a whispered command, the Bow shifts to the Celestial Longsword, glowing brightly.  
  
"Wizards of Light! Identify yourselves!"  
  
"Rifkin! Master of Ice and Mist! Holder of the Hell's Fury Masamune!"  
  
"Vincent! Master of Fire and Heat! Holder of the Heaven's Wrath Masamune!"  
  
"Celes! Mistress of Light and Love! Holder of the Celestial Longsword!"  
  
I can tell something isn't right... So I lift the Harp and play a few notes, seeking the truth of what we see before us. The tableau solidifies as it stands now. Three horribly deformed Demons. Locke's dead body, Sephiroth, Gabriel, Erian, Nemesis. Meris. Rifkin. Vincent. Me. I suddenly realize who's missing...  
  
"Sephiroth! Where's your father?"  
  
I can hear a groan from the bushes behind me. I turn, slowly, hoping I don't see what I think I'll see. But I do... Sindar's back has been slashed to ribbons! Standing behind him is Vincent's clone, laughing demonically with blood dripping from his metal talons. I can see Vincent and Sephiroth getting angry... Their anger fuels the beings within and I can see them changing before my eyes!  
  
"MERIS! GET DOWN!"  
  
She sees me hit the dirt and does the same. Rifkin hides himself behind a tree and Gabriel, Erian and Nemesis simply disappear. Vincent lets Jarreth take over and becomes the Archangel of Destruction. Sephiroth lets out a roar, head thrown back and hands fisted at shoulder height. Grudah overwhelms him and Sephiroth becomes the Great Master Demon.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
I rise to my feet, holding the Celestial Longsword at the ready. Rifkin emerges from behind the tree, Hell's Fury Masamune held in attack position. Vincent is standing behind Jarreth, Heaven's Wrath Masamune held over his head.  
  
"We are the Trio of Light."  
  
Morgoth's children scream, an unearthly sound that sets my nerves on edge. I swirl the Longsword over my head and jam it into the earth. The resultant flash of light takes one of them out.  
  
"We are those who would save Midgar."  
  
Rifkin swirls the Hell's Fury Masamune over his head and slams the point into the ground. A flash of red light lances out and makes another one dissolve. All that remains is a red smear on the earth.  
  
"We are your WORST FUCKING NIGHTMARE!"  
  
Vincent swirls the Heaven's Wrath Masamune over his head three times, then jams the blade into the ground. It opens a fissure below the final remaining demon, catapulting it down into an underground vault where it will remain imprisoned for all time. The ground seals up, cutting off its screams. Jarreth remains alert, and Grudah brings Seph's body up to his own physical standards. I can't help a gasp as I back away.  
  
"Celes? What... Oh, my GOD!"  
  
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The look on Meris' face mirrored Celes'. Seph was now a hulking Demon with wings and claws! Rifkin and Vincent were in shock. They couldn't believe it! Jarreth was the only one who wasn't surprised. He walked over to the injured Sindar and knelt. The cuts were infected and oozing a reddish-orange pus. He held a hand over the wounds and frowned.  
  
"What is it, Jarreth?"  
  
"These cuts... They're infected!"  
  
"What color is the pus?"  
  
"Reddish-orange."  
  
Celes knew. Deep down, she knew what had happened. Yanking the Celestial Longsword out of the ground with enough force to bring up a huge clump of dirt, she snarled and charged the clone, ramming the blade into his blackened heart. The clone fell, a look of shock on his face. The minute his lifeless body hit the ground, the infection disappeared. But the cuts remained. Jarreth made the cuts disappear in the blink of an eye. Then they all turned to Celes for an explanation.  
  
"I can't explain how it happened. All I know is that he got hold of a spell to cause living tissue to decay and slough off in a reddish-orange pus. And since the only way to cancel the spell is to kill the caster..."  
  
"The clone had to die."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Before they could say anything else, Morgoth appeared in a gout of Hellfire. Only Seph could withstand the heat of the blast, so he shielded the others. Morgoth looked him over and sneered, then waved a hand that sent him crashing backward into the trees.  
  
"Seph!"  
  
Celes ran over to him and cradled his taloned hand in both of hers. Grudah sensed the weaknesses in this body and removed them. Seph stood, smiling tenderly at her before charging Morgoth and hitting him with a shoulder to the midsection. To see two Demons brawling was rare indeed. The shades of the vanquished Circle watched in silence, unable to speak without direct contact with the one they wanted to talk to. Meris, Vincent, Celes, Sindar and Rifkin stood nearby, simply watching the carnage. Locke's body was vaporized with one blast of fire from Morgoth's claw. Seph retaliated with a gust of wind that broke his tail off. Claws gouged flesh and tore holes in wings. Celes turned to look over at the trees and saw Seph lying on the ground. She suddenly realized what had happened...  
  
"That's not Seph! That's really Grudah!"  
  
As with all Demons, Grudah gained strength when someone said his name. He was able to lift Morgoth off the ground and slam him back down. Celes saw Seph's fallen Masamune and ran over to it, grabbing the hilt in both hands. The minute she touched it, she was engulfed in the power of the Rainbow Materia. She knelt beside her beloved and laid the Masamune blade across his chest.  
  
"Come back to us, Seph... Grudah can't do it alone."  
  
Seph groaned and opened his eyes. He saw Celes hovering over him and sat up. He caught the Masamune hilt in his left hand and frowned down at it.  
  
"I know what this is... But why do I have it?"  
  
"Seph, don't you remember? That's your Masamune. You're the Materia Hunter!"  
  
Those words proved to be the key to unlocking Seph's power... He ran to the cave and jammed the Masamune into the slot on his weapon. The Rainbow Materia was extracted and stored with the rest. His fingers flew over the keys, activating all systems and programs. He felt a bit lost without Chaos... But he had no choice. Chaos and Panic had merged to form Grudah. Then he felt a familiar presence...  
  
**Chaos?**  
  
*Yes. Seph, Grudah was defeated. You're Midgar's last chance for survival. Morgoth is advancing on the others.*  
  
**Celes!**  
  
*You have to hurry.*  
  
His fingers literally turned into a blur of motion as he programmed the Materia Cannon to fire a mega blast at Morgoth. But what he hadn't counted on was the Materias within finding a way to shunt themselves into him after the blast. The Cannon raised from the cave, breaking out into the open.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"That's..."  
  
"It can't be."  
  
"It is!"  
  
"It's Seph's Materia Cannon!"  
  
The Cannon swiveled around, the hilt of Seph's Masamune blade catching the last rays of the setting sun. It locked on target and fired. The blast struck Morgoth dead-on, burning a huge hole through his chest. Fragments of the blast hit the shades, engulfing them in multi-colored light. When everything died down, the Circle of Seven stood whole once more.  
  
"Well, I'll be..."  
  
"The Circle!"  
  
The Materia Cannon chose that moment to explode, raining white-hot fragments down on them all. The Demons were unfazed, as was Jarreth. The humans ran around to avoid the shrapnel. But in the cave, the majority of the fragments cascaded down onto the man standing below the Cannon. The Masamune fell straight down, hilt still pointed toward the sky. Sindar saw it and shouted.  
  
"SEPH!"  
  
The cave collapsed right then, burying him in rubble.  
  
"NO!"  
  
But even under tons of rocks and debris, Sephiroth lived. The Materias had shunted themselves into his body after the blast, and now they rose up and blew the rubble upward in a gravelly fountain. Inside the cave, Seph stood, wavering and bleeding from multiple injuries. His Masamune had sliced his back wide open after it fell... He staggered out into the night, unable to do more than gasp for breath.  
  
"There he is!"  
  
Rifkin saw the blood on the Masamune blade and cursed. He bolted over to his best friend and helped him walk the rest of the way. Seph collapsed onto the ground stomach-first. His back was a mass of blood and bone...  
  
"What the..."  
  
"His own Masamune struck him down. At the height of victory, he suffered the greatest loss of all."  
  
"Not if I can help it."  
  
That weak, yet insufferably smug, voice made them all smile. Seph pushed himself up onto one elbow and grunted as he brought the Masamune around in front of him. There was a familiar black glimmer on the blade...  
  
"The Black Materia!"  
  
A snap and a hiss, and Seph stood whole once more. Celes could see into his soul... And what she saw made her gasp.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I know where the Materias went..."  
  
"Where are they?"  
  
"They're inside Seph!"  
  
Sephiroth, the world-renowned Materia Hunter, took Celes' hands in his and smiled tenderly at her. She returned his smile, then turned to Vincent and Meris.  
  
"So what are you going to do with the rest of your lives?"  
  
"Get married, start a family."  
  
"And if need be, put out a few brushfires."  
  
"Rifkin, what about you?"  
  
"I'll find a place to rest my head, and if I find a woman, I'll treat her like a Queen."  
  
"Good man. What about you and Seph, Celes?"  
  
"Whatever he wants to do, I guess."  
  
"What do you want to do?"  
  
"If I had Locke here, I'd train him to be the best tracker in Midgar."  
  
They all fell silent, mourning Locke's death. Sindar put one hand on his forehead and sighed.  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"Son, what did I tell you about forgetting things?"  
  
Vincent caught Sindar's meaning and chuckled. Meris looked up at him and saw his eyes. Jarreth grinned and threw a ball of fire to the ground where Locke's body once rested. It rested there again, but there was a huge difference this time. Rifkin caught on.  
  
"Seph! You have the Materias inside you, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"So you can wish him back like you did your father!"  
  
Seph's eyes widened, then they closed and his head fell forward. His chin rested on his chest as he communed with the Materias. A blinding flash resonated from him, then died down. Locke sat up with a groan.  
  
"What the hell was that?"  
  
"Nothing serious... Just Seph saving Midgar and wishing your ugly ass back into existence."  
  
"Vincent!"  
  
"What? It's true!"  
  
They laughed and swarmed around Locke, helping him to his feet. Seph took Celes' hands in his again and smiled down at her. Then he vocalized what he'd only shown in his eyes until now.  
  
"Celes Valentine, I love you with all my heart."  
  
"I love you with all my heart, Sephiroth, son of Sindar."  
  
"I don't have a ring, or very much by way of money, but..."  
  
"The answer is yes."  
  
He blinked, then dipped his head and kissed her. Rifkin whooped for joy and they all laughed. They headed back toward Midgar City to celebrate. Already people were coming out toward them. They'd heard the Materia Cannon go off... Their cheers were deafening as the heroes identified themselves. Vincent's name brought about the biggest cheers of all. They walked into the city, bombarded with flowers and gold coins. Rifkin picked up every fifth coin thrown at them, causing general laughter. Before, he would have taken them all. As they celebrated long into the night, they were secure in the knowledge that they'd saved Midgar. The citizens of Midgar City proclaimed them heroes for defeating the evil that lurked beneath the surface.  
  
--------  
  
Had they? Had they really? Some would say they had, but others weren't so sure. You never know... Not really. 


End file.
